Florida 2026 session: conscience-exemption bill clears Senate, dies in House; DOH turns to rulemaking
Why it matters
The legislative path stalled, but the executive-branch path did not, showing how vaccine policy is now being rewritten through administrative rule when statutes hold.
During the 2026 legislative session, efforts to repeal Florida’s school vaccine mandates by statute failed. Senate Bill 1756, which would have created a conscience-based exemption for school immunizations, passed the Senate but died in the House; a companion measure, HB 917, also failed to advance.
Following those setbacks, the Florida Department of Health moved to remove four vaccine mandates, hepatitis B, chickenpox, Hib, and pneumococcal conjugate, through administrative rule changes, and to expand religious exemptions to include moral or ethical beliefs.
The rule changes remain in progress. The fight is moving on two tracks at once, and we are following each rule filing and floor vote.
Source
Florida Senate, SB 1756Related coverage
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