HB1449

Parental oversight doesn't save children from measles. Nor does it save the immune-compromised from negligence. I vehemently oppose this bill and recommend ITL

As someone who has worked in healthcare in New Hampshire for years now, including at vaccination clinics such as those that this bill seeks to stop, I can testify that limiting access to these clinics will have an incredibly negative effect on the health of our communities, our loved ones, our state, and especially our kids. The vaccine clinics that this bill is seeking to block are one of the key ways that the kids in our communities get the option to receive their vaccines. By putting up barriers to these free clinics like this bill seeks to do, it will make it so that parents need to put in extra time off work or after school to get their kids access to these often lifesaving vaccinations. Additionally, this bill will lead to lower rates of vaccination due to the many unnecessary barriers it puts up around access to vaccination. We know from extensive research over the course of many decades (such as the research published in the journal article by Martoma et al last year in JAMA) that high levels of vaccination rates within the community are needed to prevent disease outbreaks, and to protect vulnerable populations such as immunocompromised people, the elderly, and many of the babies and children who are not yet old enough to get certain vaccinations. All in all, HB 1449 takes away not only parent options and choice, but will actively put our communities at risk as it will inevitably lead to lower vaccination rates due to these barriers. HB 1449 should not be allowed to pass at it will have detrimental effects across our state.

Vaccination is an essential component of public health and is one of the rare healthcare interventions that we need all members of society who are healthy and able to be vaccinated to receive. This is because group vaccination keeps all members of our society safe, including those who cannot receive vaccination for health reasons. Children who are immunocompromised need their fellow classmates to receive vaccination. In addition, children who receive vaccines are protected against the severe and usually life-threatening forms of an illness (such as subacute sclerosing panencephalitis which occurs in measles and is 100% preventable with the MMR vaccine). It is very important to not have any barriers to children receiving vaccination--it could cost them their lives!

As a medical student in New Hampshire, I can testify that limiting vaccine access in any way will negatively impact the public health of our state, especially for our kids. This bill creates significant barriers for working families and could reduce vaccination rates by making it harder for many parents to access convenient, no-cost vaccine clinics. School-based clinics, run through the New Hampshire Public Health Association in eight different public health regions, have been a critical tool for reaching underserved communities and ensuring all children—not just those whose parents can take time off work—have access to protections against disease. As we know from extensive research–including Martoma et al. 2025–high levels of vaccination rates within the community are needed to prevent disease outbreaks, and to protect vulnerable populations like immunocompromised people. This bill, by limiting vaccine clinics, will make it more difficult for families to get their kids vaccinated.

As a healthcare provider (APRN), I oppose this bill due to the inevitable restriction of access to lifesaving vaccinations. Requiring parental presence at immunization sessions in public schools would significantly limit the number of children getting vaccinated due to parents' inability to miss work or lack of transportation, disproportionally impacting low-income families. Written informed consent by parent for vaccine administration by a licensed provider should be sufficient.

Let's not let the "Anti Vaccine" crowd put the rest of our citizens at risk for deadly consequences.

I oppose this bill. The state should not impose limits on communities that want to offer vaccine clinics in their schools, during school hours, and otherwise with parent permission. This bill may seem reasonable at first glance, but it is imposing undue burden to reduce availability of vaccines for those who want them. What exactly is the issue with hosting vaccine clinics during specific hours of the day if not to exclude the option of people who are already in the building receiving them? Children have to be transported back, which does not work for many families. What exactly is the issue with a permission slip or other form of parental consent? These are ways to limit the number of people who are available to receive the vaccines they want. That is not freedom. That is the state playing puppet master to an unscientific political agenda.

As a medical student in New Hampshire, I can testify that limiting vaccine access in any way will negatively impact the public health of our state, especially for our kids. This bill creates significant barriers for working families and could reduce vaccination rates by making it harder for many parents to access convenient, no-cost vaccine clinics. School-based clinics, run through the New Hampshire Public Health Association in eight different public health regions, have been a critical tool for reaching underserved communities and ensuring all children—not just those whose parents can take time off work—have access to protections against disease. As we know from extensive research–including Martoma et al. 2025–high levels of vaccination rates within the community are needed to prevent disease outbreaks, and to protect vulnerable populations like immunocompromised people. This bill, by limiting vaccine clinics, will make it more difficult for families to get their kids vaccinated.

As a medical student in New Hampshire, I can testify that limiting vaccine access in any way will negatively impact the public health of our state, especially for our kids. This bill creates significant barriers for working families and could reduce vaccination rates by making it harder for many parents to access convenient, no-cost vaccine clinics. School-based clinics, run through the New Hampshire Public Health Association in eight different public health regions, have been a critical tool for reaching underserved communities and ensuring all children—not just those whose parents can take time off work—have access to protections against disease. As we know from extensive research–including Martoma et al. 2025–high levels of vaccination rates within the community are needed to prevent disease outbreaks, and to protect vulnerable populations like immunocompromised people. This bill, by limiting vaccine clinics, will make it more difficult for families to get their kids vaccinated.