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State Senator Michelle Hinchey of Saugerties is introducing the Vaccine Integrity Act, a new bill aimed at allowing New York to establish its own vaccine guidance. This legislation comes in response to changes in the federal Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) under Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has replaced all 17 members with new appointees. Hinchey’s bill proposes that the New York State Commissioner of Health, in consultation with the Commissioner of Education, could authorize immunizations based on guidance from state-level expert bodies or an interstate advisory council, in addition to the federal ACIP.
The bill, which will be considered in the next legislative session starting in January 2026, seeks to expand New York’s ability to respond to public health threats like Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) and Mpox without relying solely on federal guidance. State-level guidance would come from the Immunization Advisory Council and the 21st Century Disease Elimination Workgroup, which includes public health professionals and staff from the state Department of Health’s immunization division.
Hinchey’s office states that the upheaval in the ACIP has led to concerns about the reliability of federal vaccine guidance, prompting states like California, Oregon, and Washington to explore regional alternatives. Governor Kathy Hochul recently issued an executive order allowing pharmacists to administer COVID-19 vaccines to children as young as three, highlighting the need for clear and reliable vaccine policies.
Hinchey emphasized the importance of the Vaccine Integrity Act, stating, "The Trump administration has decimated one of our nation’s most trusted sources of public health policy." The bill aims to ensure that New Yorkers have reliable resources to protect themselves from potential misinformation and preventable diseases.