JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A Florida state senator plans to file legislation during special session that would allow parents to claim a “conscience exemption,” or personal reasons, to opt their children out of required school vaccines.
Senator Clay Yarborough will file legislation identical to Senate Bill 1756, known as the Medical Freedom Act, when special session begins April 28. The original bill passed the Senate but died in the House.
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What the bill would do
Currently, Florida parents can exempt their children from school-required vaccines for religious or medical reasons. The Medical Freedom Act would expand those exemptions to include personal or moral reasons.
The bill would also authorize the sale of ivermectin without a prescription as a behind-the-counter medication, require that parents be provided with specific materials before a vaccine can be administered and when applying for an exemption, and make Florida’s existing ban on discrimination based on a person’s mRNA vaccination status permanent.
Governor Ron DeSantis addressed the bill at a news conference in Jacksonville on March 13.
“I think a lot of moms in particular, you know, they just want to know that they’re doing this stuff eyes wide open and then they’re not being forced or coerced into doing something without having, especially without having all the facts,” DeSantis said.
What Jacksonville parents are saying
Local parents are divided on the proposed expansion.
Raines Carr, a teacher and parent, said he supports personal decision-making but expressed concern about the broader public health implications of a conscience exemption in a shared space like a public school.
“I think you just need to be very careful when it’s a public situation, that we all need to adhere to certain rules as just a public space, like a public school would be,” Carr said.
Kenadi Hancock said she supports the expansion because she wants more time to evaluate vaccines being given to her daughter.
“Give parents more time to decide on if that’s what they want for their child or not. But at the same time, I do know some vaccines are proactive and they do keep kids safe,” Hancock said. “So in a sense, I’m really like still doing my own research on that.”
Senator responds by text
Yarborough was not available for an interview but responded by text message.
“I believe the medical freedom legislation will pass favorably in the Senate during Special Session,” Yarborough said.
The special session begins April 28.