Connecticut Stands Firm on Vaccine Schedule

0:00It's March 31st. Welcome in. This is Hartford News today, where local news meets AI. Connecticut's pushing back on the vaccine chaos from the Feds under Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as Health Secretary. His teens revamped the key vaccine advisory committee and tweaked childhood shock guidelines, but a Massachusetts judge hit Paul's on all those big changes last month. Now Governor Ned Lemon's dropping, House Bill 5044, to lock in the state's traditional vaccine schedule and cut through the mixed signals. The bill ramps up the public health commissioner's power to say recommendations for adults too. Not just kids. It makes state insurance cover all those recommended shots and give the state more ways to buy vaccines, ditching reliance on the Feds advisory group. Commissioner Manisha Dutani says this keeps access steady since federal advice has gone off track lately. Folks are fired up on both sides. Lemon's all about sticking to science back schedules without politics, backed by major

1:02medical groups. But opponents at hearings worry a standard of care label could squeeze out folks skipping shots, making it tough for jobs or doctors, even if it's not a straight mandate. There's also heat over clarifying the Religious Freedom Restoration Act doesn't block school vaccine rules. Critics call it a risky precedent that ships away at religious protections elsewhere, even though it doesn't add new limits. Vaccinating states are already sourcing shots independently to stay flexible. The Public Health Committee Greenlit, both the House and matching Senate bills this month. Though need full votes in the House and Senate to hit the books, keeping Connecticut's vaccine stance firm amid the national shake-up.