| Date of Action |
Assembly Actions -
Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE |
|---|---|
| Jan 08, 2025 |
referred to health |
Senate Bill S266
2025-2026 Legislative Session
Sponsored By
(R, C) 60th Senate District
Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Health Committee
Actions
co-Sponsors
(R) 43rd Senate District
(R, C) 57th Senate District
(R, C) 17th Senate District
(R, C) 2nd Senate District
2025-S266 (ACTIVE) - Details
2025-S266 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo
BILL NUMBER: S266
SPONSOR: GALLIVAN
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the public health law, in relation to an exemption from
certain vaccination requirements for school attendance based upon reli-
gious beliefs
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
This legislation restores the ability of families to opt not to have
their child(ren) immunized in order to be admitted or received into a
school or attending a school due to their sincere and religious beliefs,
which are contrary to the requirement for such immunization.
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:
Section 1 the public health law is amended by adding a new subdivision
9.
Section 2 Subdivision 6 of section 2164 of the public health law, as 9
2025-S266 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf
S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
266
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
I N S E N A T E
(PREFILED)
January 8, 2025
___________
Introduced by Sens. GALLIVAN, ASHBY, BORRELLO, MATTERA, MURRAY, OBERACK-
ER, RHOADS, 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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New York State should uphold the constitution and allow families to exercise their religious freedom and not be forced by the government to make health decisions for their children. Ones that can potentially harm them for life. This is long over due. We as Americans have the right to this freedom that has been taken away from us due to government overreach. I support this bill 1000 times.
Shame on all lawmakers for not adhering to NY State constitution. NY STATE Constitution
ARTICLE XI EDUCATION [Common schools] Section 1. The legislature shall provide for the maintenance and support of a system of free common schools, wherein all the children of this state may be educated. (Formerly §1 of Art. 9. Renumbered by Constitutional Convention of 1938 and approved by vote of the people November 8, 1938.
You created a public health law that precedes the NY Constitution?
NY Public Health Law: Public Health Law, Section 2164 and 2168 : Section 66-1.3 - Requirements for school admission.
So in hindsight families are burdened with "school taxes" but cannot choose to send their kids to public, private school, sports programs or public school facilities such as gyms/science labs ...ect because of the illegitimate law? Furthermore they must additionally pay out of pocket for homeschooling curriculums? Compulsory age kids are heavily discriminated upon - shame on you!
Really praying that this goes, through, it is after all, a violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act, HIPPA, as well as No Child Left Behind
Very sad they force children to do whatever the government wants and not what the parents want.