Photo: State Reps. Matt Longjohn (D-Portage) (center) and Julie Rogers (D-Kalamazoo) (right) at the Empowering Parents, Protecting Communities press conference on Dec. 4, 2025. |
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KALAMAZOO, Mich., Dec. 4, 2025 — The number of vaccination waiver requests hit a 12-year high this past fall for newly enrolled Michigan students and measles cases are on the rise across the country. At the same time, the U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy’s vaccine advisory panel is expected to overhaul the childhood immunization schedule. In response, state Reps. Matt Longjohn (D-Portage) and Julie Rogers (D-Kalamazoo), alongside fellow Michigan House Democrats, announced a 11-bill package today aimed at codifying existing state law that protects public health, providing parents and caregivers more information and choice when it comes to selecting schools and childcare centers. The package will also require insurers to continue covering all recommended immunizations, guaranteeing that families have universal access to essential, evidence-based disease prevention. The Empowering Parents, Protecting Communities package will organize and provide convenient access to immunization rate data, giving families the information they need to make informed choices while equipping health departments with better tools. “Parents across Michigan are anxious and confused by RFK Jr.’s attacks on science and his spread of vaccine misinformation,” Longjohn said. “Regardless of whether parents choose to vaccinate their children, they deserve access to trusted, evidence-based information. This package ensures families, providers, and insurers have clear answers to make informed decisions.” The package codifies access to the overall vaccination rate for a local school or childcare centers while still preserving parental choice not to immunize children and maintaining the individual privacy of those that do. For families with infants, seniors, or immunocompromised children in the home, understanding the strength of herd immunity against severe but preventable illnesses within a specific location can help them better select where is safest for their child to attend. “As a practicing health care provider, I see every day how vaccines save lives and prevent serious illness. As federal vaccination guidance continues to waver, it has become evident that states must step up to enact stronger policies to ensure better transparency around vaccination rates,” Rogers said. “This bill package gives families, schools and public health experts better tools and data to keep kids healthy, classrooms open and communities strong. By aligning our policies with the best available medical evidence, we can give parents peace of mind and protect the most vulnerable members of our community. I am proud to be a bill sponsor in this legislative package alongside my colleagues so that Michigan continues to lead with science, compassion and common sense.” Rogers is sponsoring a bill that would codify the role of the Michigan Advisory Committee on Immunizations (MACI) in setting vaccination guidelines. Nearly two-thirds of Americans remain confident that childhood vaccines are effective at preventing serious illness and protecting communities. For Kalamazoo families — especially those with infants, seniors or immunocompromised loved ones — this legislation provides peace of mind and the ability to make informed choices without sacrificing privacy or autonomy. ### |