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HB 5198

AN ACT PERMITTING A MORAL OR PHILOSOPHICAL OBJECTION AS AN EXEMPTION FROM SCHOOL IMMUNIZATION REQUIREMENTS.

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Devin Carney and 1 co-sponsor

Connecticut bill expands school vaccination exemptions to include moral/philosophical objections, potentially reducing immunization rates and community disease protection.

REF. TO JOINT COMM. ON Public Health
#immunization #schools #students
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Bill Summary · HB 5198

Legislative bill overview

HB 5198 would create a new exemption category allowing students to opt out of school immunization requirements based on moral or philosophical objections. Currently, Connecticut law permits medical and religious exemptions; this bill would expand exemption grounds to include personal ethical or belief-based reasons without requiring affiliation with an organized religion.

Why is this important

School immunization rates directly affect community health, particularly for vulnerable populations like infants and immunocompromised individuals who cannot be vaccinated. Broadening exemption criteria could reduce vaccination coverage, potentially enabling disease outbreaks in school settings and weakening herd immunity thresholds needed to protect public health.

Potential points of contention

  • Public health impact: Epidemiologists warn that philosophical exemptions in other states correlate with lower vaccination rates and increased disease clusters; opponents argue this prioritizes individual choice over community protection
  • Scope ambiguity: The bill doesn't define what constitutes a qualifying "moral or philosophical objection," creating potential for inconsistent application and disputes over exemption denials
  • Equity concerns: Philosophical exemptions may be more readily available to educated, affluent families, while potentially creating disparate vaccination rates across socioeconomic groups and school districts

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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