Oppose Michigan’s 11-Bill Vaccine Package That Weakens Parental Rights!

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Michigan lawmakers are moving a legislative package that would make it much harder for families to obtain vaccine exemptions and would expand state control over vaccine policy.

A group of 11 bills introduced in the Michigan House under the title “Empowering Parents, Protecting Communities” would change how exemptions are handled, require new reporting and data sharing about children’s vaccination status, and give the state health department greater authority over vaccine rules.

If passed, these bills would set up a centralized state waiver process that parents must navigate to claim exemption rights, and would push schools and child care centers to post anonymous vaccination data publicly. 

The legislation would also allow the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) to make policy decisions based on recommendations from professional medical organizations as well as CDC guidelines, giving state officials expanded discretion in vaccine policy. 

These proposals go well beyond current statute and align law with restrictive administrative rules, undermining long-standing exemption rights and expanding government oversight of private medical decisions. 

The bills (House Bills 5344 through 5354) were referred to the House Committee on Government Operations on December 10, 2025. 

Act now to protect parental rights, medical privacy, and informed choice in Michigan!

TAKE ACTION

Contact your Michigan State Representative and ask them to oppose House Bills 5344-5354. 

Find your representative here:
 https://www.legislature.mi.gov/
 (Click “Find Your Representative”)

Phone calls are the most effective, but emails make a difference too.

SAMPLE SCRIPT

“Hello, my name is ____ and I’m a constituent. I am calling to oppose House Bills 5344 through 5354, the 11-bill vaccine package now in the House Government Operations Committee.

I am deeply concerned that these bills would make it harder for families to claim vaccine exemptions and expand state authority over private medical decisions.

Forcing parents into a centralized waiver process, requiring public posting of vaccination data, and giving the health department broad power over vaccine policy undermines parental rights and medical privacy.

These bills also circumvent doctor-patient privacy.

Please stand up for family autonomy and vote NO on HB 5344-5354.

Thank you.”

TALKING POINTS

1. Many families intentionally choose to live in Michigan because it still respects parental choice through meaningful vaccine exemptions. States that have eliminated or severely restricted exemptions—such as California—have seen families relocate to protect their rights. Michigan should not follow policies that drive families away and undermine trust in public health.

2. Protecting vaccine exemptions is inseparable from protecting parental rights and medical privacy. Parents—not schools, state agencies, or public databases—should be responsible for making health decisions for their children, and those decisions should never require public disclosure or invasive reporting that exposes families to pressure, stigma, or loss of privacy.

3. These bills undermine long-standing privacy protections by allowing schools to share sensitive student vaccination information with third parties, including local health departments. This circumvents the doctor-patient relationship and conflicts with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), which is designed to protect the confidentiality of student health and education records. Families should not have their private medical decisions exposed or tracked through schools.

4. Unvaccinated children do not pose a threat to other students. Excluding or targeting unvaccinated students is not grounded in science and does not improve school safety—it undermines fairness and parental choice.

5. These bills would require parents to jump through a centralized state process to obtain exemptions that are currently allowed under the law, making exemptions harder to access. 

6. The package would expand state control by allowing Michigan health officials to base vaccine policy on recommendations from professional organizations in addition to CDC guidance. 

7. Requiring schools and childcare centers to post vaccination data anonymously and notify parents of comparative rates could pressure families and invade privacy. 

8. Putting existing health department rules into statutory law erodes long-standing exemption rights and gives state officials unchecked oversight of private medical choices. 

9. These bills transform previously optional administrative policies into legal obligations, threatening freedom of choice and parental authority. 

10. Parents should be able to decide what’s best for their children without being subject to a burdensome bureaucratic process.  

MORE INFORMATION

Michigan bills 5344-5354: text, status, and history:

https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Bills/Bill?ObjectName=2025-HB-5344
 https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Bills/Bill?ObjectName=2025-HB-5345

https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Bills/Bill?ObjectName=2025-HB-5346

https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Bills/Bill?ObjectName=2025-HB-5347

https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Bills/Bill?ObjectName=2025-HB-5348

https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Bills/Bill?ObjectName=2025-HB-5349

https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Bills/Bill?ObjectName=2025-HB-5350

https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Bills/Bill?ObjectName=2025-HB-5351

https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Bills/Bill?ObjectName=2025-HB-5352

https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Bills/Bill?ObjectName=2025-HB-5353

https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Bills/Bill?ObjectName=2025-HB-5354

Summary of the “Empower Parents, Protect Communities” Bill Package:

HB 5344 requires public schools to publicly display aggregated student vaccination information—without student names—both online and in a visible location within the school. Schools would also be required to notify parents about overall student vaccination rates.

HB 5345 mandates that childcare centers and home-based childcare providers collect and publicly share anonymous vaccination statistics for enrolled children. 

HB 5346 grants schools access to Michigan’s immunization registry, allowing school officials to view vaccination records maintained by the state health department.

HB 5347 requires parents to formally complete and sign documentation stating their child’s vaccination status.

HB 5348 limits vaccine exemption requests by requiring parents to use a standardized exemption form created by the state health department.

HB 5349 adds an in-person requirement for parents seeking nonmedical exemptions, forcing them to obtain exemption paperwork directly from their local health department rather than remotely.

HB 5350 directs local health officials to collect and report vaccination and exemption data to local government entities.

HB 5351 expands the authority of the state health department by allowing it to base vaccine policy not only on CDC guidance, but also on recommendations from multiple national medical organizations.

HB 5352 requires the state health department to consult with Michigan’s advisory immunization committee before making changes to state vaccine recommendations.

HB 5353 obligates health insurance plans to continue covering certain vaccines for children even if those vaccines are no longer universally recommended at the federal level.

HB 5354 broadens the list of professionals authorized to issue standing orders for vaccines and medications—orders that can be used for large-scale administration during declared public health emergencies.

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