Senate Bill S118

2023-2024 Legislative Session

Relates to a religious exemption from vaccination requirements

download bill text pdf

Sponsored By

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Health Committee


  • Introduced
    • In Committee Assembly
    • In Committee Senate
    • On Floor Calendar Assembly
    • On Floor Calendar Senate
    • Passed Assembly
    • Passed Senate
  • Delivered to Governor
  • Signed By Governor

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2023-S118 (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:
A6676
Current Committee:
Senate Health
Law Section:
Public Health Law
Laws Affected:
Amd §§2164 & 2168, Pub Health L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:
2019-2020: S7362, A8676
2021-2022: S2677, A9913

2023-S118 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Provides a religious exemption from vaccination requirements for school attendance.

2023-S118 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2023-S118 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                    118
 
                        2023-2024 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                                (PREFILED)
 
                              January 4, 2023
                                ___________
 
 Introduced by Sens. GALLIVAN, BORRELLO, MATTERA, OBERACKER, WEIK -- 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 an exemption  from
   certain  vaccination  requirements  for  school  attendance based upon
   religious beliefs
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1. Section 2164 of the public health law is amended by adding
 a new subdivision 9 to read as follows:
   9. THIS SECTION SHALL NOT APPLY TO CHILDREN WHOSE PARENT, PARENTS,  OR
 GUARDIAN  HOLD  GENUINE AND SINCERE RELIGIOUS BELIEFS WHICH ARE CONTRARY
 TO THE PRACTICES HEREIN REQUIRED, AND NO CERTIFICATE SHALL  BE  REQUIRED
 AS  A  PREREQUISITE  TO  SUCH  CHILDREN  BEING ADMITTED OR RECEIVED INTO
 SCHOOL OR ATTENDING SCHOOL.
   § 2. Subdivision 6 of section  2164  of  the  public  health  law,  as
 amended  by  chapter  35  of  the  laws  of  2019, is amended to read as
 follows:
   6. In the event that a person in parental relation to  a  child  makes
 application  for  admission  of  such  child  to a school or has a child
 attending school and there exists no  certificate  or  other  acceptable
 evidence  of  the  child's  immunization  against  poliomyelitis, mumps,
 measles, diphtheria, rubella, varicella, hepatitis B,  pertussis,  teta-
 nus,  and, where applicable, Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib), menin-
 gococcal disease, and  pneumococcal  disease,  the  principal,  teacher,
 owner  or person in charge of the school shall inform such person of the
 necessity to have the child immunized, that  such  immunization  may  be
 administered by any health practitioner, or that the child may be immun-
 ized  without charge by the health officer in the county where the child
 resides, if such person executes a consent therefor. In the  event  that

  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

Comments

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meganelyssa
9 months ago

I support this bill. Parents should not be withheld the option to send their children to school solely because they want to wait on vaccines.

Anonymous
8 months ago

Please pass this bill and allow parents who hold strong, sincere religious beliefs to make their own decisions for this children. Children should not be kept from school or other institutions because of this.

Anonymous
8 months ago

I want My child to attend school in NYC and don’t want to have to move out. My son has been vaccinated and received many side affects of which risked his health. Please pass this religious/ medical exemption, because I dont Want my son to suffer anymore.

mariagerli64
8 months ago

I think everyone’s rights, particularly when it comes to one’s religious beliefs should be honored. All rights should be honored!!!

Anonymous
8 months ago

Attach a note saying something along the lines that parents need to be able to make decisions based on their beliefs for their children and that this can help NY keep residents in the state and in public schools

Anonymous
8 months ago

Families are fleeing NY due to the strict rules and laws surrounding vaccination which goes against many family’s religious beliefs. NY, is in my opinion, one of the strongest and influential states in the country and should lead by example. This country was created on the basis of religious freedom. For NY state to go against the basis of founding this country is shameful. Please consider bringing religious exemptions back for our families and children.

amyross311
8 months ago

Please give parents their right to make medical decisions for their children. They should not be discriminated against and not allowed to go to school, preschool, daycare etc. Many families, including mine will leave NY if this doesn’t pass.

Crescenzi-gasq…
8 months ago

Please allow parental right to religious exemption from vaccines to get an education

Rasit_Deniz
6 months ago

Acceptance or Denial of a "preventative" medical treatment should never be tied to a Public Good!!!

Anonymous
3 months ago

We pay taxes and cannot even send our kids to school. Teachers and bus drivers aren't forced to be poisoned. Religious freedom is being denied. Almost any other state allows for this. Will move because of this.

Letty473
2 months ago

We need to support this bill,is so wrong they want to force our kids to get something in their body to be allowed to go to school

Tracichiarello
2 months ago

It’s wrong to force vaccinate and/or bully parents and their children to get vaccinated to attend school

carolineoliviarogers
2 months ago

Parents should be able to decide what they want for their child. The absence of REs means parents either homeschool or move. As one of the most influential states in the United States, New York can do better to advocate for freedom, what this country was built upon.

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