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SB 1030

Children - As introduced, deletes the responsibility of a parent or legal guardian to ensure that such person's child receives vaccines as recommended by guidelines of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or the American Academy of Pediatrics. - Amends TCA Title 37.

114th Regular Session (2025-2026) Introduced by Janice Bowling

Tennessee bill eliminates parental legal duty to vaccinate children per CDC/AAP guidelines, potentially weakening school immunization requirements and disease prevention efforts.

Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Judiciary Committee
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Bill Summary · SB 1030

Legislative bill overview

SB 1030 removes the legal requirement for parents or guardians in Tennessee to ensure their children receive vaccines recommended by the CDC or American Academy of Pediatrics. The bill amends Tennessee Code Annotated Title 37, which governs child welfare and parental responsibilities.

Why is this important

This change would eliminate a specific parental duty codified in state law, potentially affecting public health disease prevention efforts and school enrollment policies that often rely on vaccination requirements. It raises questions about how Tennessee would enforce existing school vaccination mandates and whether other states might follow suit, influencing vaccination rates for diseases like measles, polio, and whooping cough.

Potential points of contention

  • Public health impact: Removal of legal vaccination requirements could reduce immunization rates and increase vulnerability to outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases, particularly in schools and childcare settings
  • Conflict with existing mandates: Tennessee schools currently have vaccination requirements for enrollment; this bill's interaction with those policies and CDC guidelines remains unclear
  • Parental rights vs. collective health: Balances individual medical autonomy against public health obligations and the health of vulnerable populations (immunocompromised children, infants)

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

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