LANSING, Mich. (WZMQ) – Michigan House Democrats on Thursday unveiled a sweeping package of bills designed to make school and child-care immunization data easier for families to find, while preserving the state’s longstanding vaccination waiver process.
At the press conference announcing the package, lawmakers pointed to recent disease trends, including what they described as a sharp increase in measles cases, as a key reason for strengthening immunization reporting. “Between 2024 and 2025, there has been a 36% increase in measles in Michigan. And 87% of the cases reported this year were outbreak-related,” Rep. Phil Skaggs (D-East Grand Rapids) said, noting the risks for infants, seniors, and immunocompromised residents.
The legislative package, titled “Empower Parents, Protect Communities,” includes around 11 bills to create building-level reporting of vaccination and waiver rates; ensure families can easily access those numbers; maintain privacy protections; expand access to routine childhood vaccines; and codify the state’s current nonmedical waiver process into law.
Supporters stressed that the bills do not eliminate a parent’s right to refuse vaccines. “If, for that reason, someone has come to the conclusion that vaccines are not best for their children, they have the right to refuse them, and that will continue, even beyond this package,” Skaggs said. But lawmakers argued that one family’s choice should not obscure risks for others. “Parents deserve the right to know if your child… is in danger because a meaningful number of your child’s peers are unvaccinated,” he added.
A major component of the proposal would require schools and child-care centers to share immunization-rate information directly with parents, rather than relying on once-a-year web postings. The bill would require schools to send the information home with a child to their guardians. “Right now, the data might end up on a web page someplace once a year… but there’s never been that last mile of communication,” Rep. Matt Longjohn (D-Portage) said. “Parents deserve the right to be able to make informed decisions.”
The package also responds to ongoing federal developments, including changes to the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). “We’re here today because RFK Jr.’s hand-picked team of vaccine science deniers is meeting in Atlanta to review the entire childhood and adolescent vaccination schedule,” Longjohn warned. They argued Michigan must retain the ability to set science-based standards even if federal guidance shifts. “One bill includes a mechanism for MDHHS to break with the CDC guidance when needed to ensure that vaccination recommendations reflect the best medical science,” He said.
Dr. Lauren Azevedo, A pediatrician from Michigan State University, emphasized the practical barriers families face when trying to vaccinate their children. “In my experience, I have seen clinics that are unable to provide vaccinations to families that want them, which imposes incredible challenges on those families,” She said, adding that families deserve information that is robust and supported by science.
Another bill would authorize Michigan’s chief medical executive to issue standing vaccination orders to pharmacists and nurses to expand access. Others strengthen the state’s immunization advisory committee and require insurers to cover vaccines recommended by the state’s medical leadership.
The package also codifies the in-person counseling requirement for nonmedical waivers, passed under previous Republican Governor Rick Snyder. “We’re taking that Snyder era DHHS policy that encourages and requires the parents to get the information from a health professional so that they can make the most informed decision,” Skaggs said, calling it essential for provider-patient relationships.
Democrats said they expect bill numbers next week and invited Republicans to join the effort. “We encourage Republicans in the House to sign on to these bills because it’s what’s best for Michiganders,” Longjohn said.
Lawmakers said the goal is simple: keep families informed and communities safe. “Because at the end of the day, what we all want is peace of mind and the assurance that our families are safe and healthy,” Skaggs said.
