Louisiana’s public school immunization requirements remain in place, although parents can opt out of the vaccines for any reason, a choice the state and Superintendent Cade Brumley have amplified.
Florida is seeking to become the first state to waive all school vaccine requirements in more than four decades in the escalating national debate over immunizations, prompting questions about policies in other states.
Louisiana hasn’t yet moved to eliminate its public school vaccine schedule that includes immunization requirements for polio, measles, mumps and other communicable diseases, but the state has increased its effort to let parents know they can opt out.
A 2024 law authored by Republican Gonzales Rep. Kathy Edmonston and signed by Republican Gov. Jeff Landry requires that any communication with parents about vaccine requirements also include exemption information.
āThe intent … is to stop mandates,ā Edmonston said during debate about her bill. āIt doesn’t have anything to do with yay or nay on the vaccines; we just don’t want mandates.ā
In 2023 Brumley and the state school board made the opt-out form more prominent for parents after he argued that the right to opt out was not well known or clearly conveyed by schools.
“It was a bit of a hidden secret,” Brumley said in an interview with USA Today Network. “We’re trying to illuminate that right for parents.”
Brumley said the opt-out form and information is more “clear and accessible” than ever before.
“I think it’s been helpful for families and schools,” he said.
Florida’s proposed change comes as U.S. Secretary of Health and Human ServicesĀ Robert F. Kennedy Jr.Ā has facedĀ growing scrutinyĀ over his vaccine skepticism, which critics say is jeopardizing evidence-based avenues to prevent dangerous outbreaks.
More: Bill Cassidy grills RFK Jr. over anti-vaccine policies while praising President Trump
GregĀ HilburnĀ covers state politics for the USA TODAY Network of Louisiana. Follow him on Twitter @GregHilburn1
This article originally appeared on Shreveport Times: Do Louisiana schools still have vaccine mandates for students?
