29 states and DC now reject federal vaccination guidelines

Twenty-nine states and the District of Columbia now reject at least some federal vaccination guidelines as the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention under U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. continues to downplay the importance of childhood vaccinations, according to research by KFF, a nonprofit health policy organization based in California and Washington, DC

The match The March 10 status reflects states that have announced they will go their own way in vaccinating children since last May, when Kennedy began making changes to the vaccination schedule. These changes culminated in a reduction in the recommended routine vaccinations for children, from 13 to 7, from January.

New federal recommendations reflect a partisan divide as all states with Democratic governors have rejected federal guidelines on vaccinating children, while many Republican states have not.

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Virginia announced in February that it would not follow CDC guidelines, a change following the inauguration of Democratic Gov. Abigail Spanberger, who took office after a Republican predecessor. Spanberger had spoken out strongly on this issue and stated that she would not support a withdrawal of vaccinations for children.

In Florida, the state Senate passed a bill on March 9 making it easier for parents to keep their children unvaccinated, although leaders of the state House of Representatives have said they will not consider it a similar bill despite the support of Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis.

In Louisiana, the state has adopted a directive not to advertise vaccines or hold clinics. Republican U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, a doctor who reluctantly agreed to Kennedy’s confirmation despite objections to his views on vaccines, is faces a primary fight.

Fifteen Democratic-led states sued Kennedy in federal court in February, demanding a repeal of the recent vaccination guidelines. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for May 29.

Some states have established formal alliances to share health information. The Northeast Public Health Collaborative, made up of Connecticut, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York state, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont and New York City, announced in January that it would continue to follow guidance from the American Academy of Pediatrics and not the federal government.

The American Academy of Pediatrics has released its 2026 vaccination plan, which maintains the schedule before the HHS revision. Twelve medical professional organizations approved the academy’s timetable.

And governors from 14 states have formed another alliance to share public health information, including on vaccines. The updated CDC guidance “creates confusion and creates unnecessary barriers for families seeking to protect their children from serious illnesses,” the Governors Public Health Alliance said in a January statement Press release. The governors are all Democrats, although the group says it is nonpartisan.

Stateline reporter Tim Henderson can be reached at thenderson@stateline.org.