School Attendance Immunizations

Children Education Healthcare

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: Smith
Last action: 2026-03-13
Official status: Senate - Died in Health Policy
Effective date: 2026-07-01

Plain English Breakdown

The bill died in Health Policy committee and did not pass both chambers of the legislature.

School Attendance and Required Vaccinations

This bill updates which vaccinations are needed for children to attend school in Florida.

What This Bill Does

Updates the list of communicable diseases that require vaccines before a child can go to school, including hepatitis B and pneumococcal disease.
Requires schools to follow medical standards when giving or testing for these vaccinations.

Who It Names or Affects

Children who need to get vaccinated before attending school in Florida.

Terms To Know

Immunization: A vaccine that helps protect against diseases.
Communicable Diseases: Diseases that can spread from one person to another.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill did not pass the final stage in the legislature and died in Health Policy committee.
It is unclear if the bill will become law since it did not pass both chambers of the legislature.

Bill History

2026-03-13 Senate
• Died in Health Policy
2026-01-13 Senate
• Introduced
2025-12-09 Senate
• Referred to Health Policy; Education Pre-K - 12; Rules
2025-11-20 Senate
• Filed

Official Summary Text

School Attendance Immunizations; Revising the communicable diseases for which immunization is required for school attendance, etc.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

Florida Senate
-
2026

SB 626

By
Senator Smith

17-00447-26 2026626__
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to school attendance immunizations;
3 amending s. 1003.22, F.S.; revising the communicable
4 diseases for which immunization is required for school
5 attendance; providing an effective date.
6
7 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
8
9 Section 1. Subsection (3) of section 1003.22, Florida
10 Statutes, is amended to read:
11 1003.22 School-entry health examinations; immunization
12 against communicable diseases; exemptions; duties of Department
13 of Health.—
14 (3) The Department of Health may adopt rules necessary to
15 administer and enforce this section. The Department of Health,
16 after consultation with the Department of Education, shall adopt
17 rules governing the immunization of children against, the
18 testing for, and the control of preventable communicable
19 diseases. The rules must include procedures for exempting a
20 child from immunization requirements. Immunizations shall be
21 required for poliomyelitis, diphtheria, rubeola, rubella,
22 pertussis, mumps, tetanus,
hepatitis
B
, chickenpox, haemophilus

23
influenzae type b, pneumococcal disease,
and other communicable
24 diseases as determined by rules of the Department of Health. The
25 manner and frequency of administration of the immunization or
26 testing shall conform to recognized standards of medical
27 practice. The Department of Health shall supervise and secure
28 the enforcement of the required immunization. Immunizations
29 required by this section shall be available at no cost from the
30 county health departments.
31 Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.