Limits exemptions from immunization requirements by local governments and private entities to medical exemptions; repeals religious exemptions for certain post-secondary students.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
5700
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
February 28, 2025
___________
Introduced by Sen. SKOUFIS -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
printed to be committed to the Committee on Health
AN ACT to amend the public health law, in relation to limiting
exemptions from immunizations; and to repeal certain provisions of
such law relating to religious exemptions for certain post-secondary
students
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. The public health law is amended by adding a new section
2 2164-a to read as follows:
3 § 2164-a. Immunization exemptions. No organization or entity, includ-
4 ing a local government, school board, business, or employer, which
5 requires immunization against any disease shall permit any exemption
6 from such requirement except a medical exemption. Any provision of a
7 law, rule, regulation, or policy adopted by any entity that allows for a
8 non-medical exemption to an immunization requirement shall be deemed
9 null and void. A medical exemption shall be established in the same
10 manner as set forth in subdivision eight of section twenty-one hundred
11 sixty-four of this title.
12 § 2. Subdivision 9 of section 2165 of the public health law is
13 REPEALED.
14 § 3. Severability. If any clause, sentence, paragraph, subdivision,
15 section or part of this title shall be adjudged by any court of compe-
16 tent jurisdiction to be invalid, such judgment shall not affect, impair
17 or invalidate the remainder thereof, but shall be confined in its opera-
18 tion to the clause, sentence, paragraph, subdivision, section or part
19 thereof directly involved in the controversy in which such judgment
20 shall have been rendered. It is hereby declared the intent of the legis-
21 lature that this act would have been enacted even if such invalid
22 provisions had not been included herein.
23 § 4. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD07135-01-5
