June 1, 2026
The Honorable Aaron Michlewitz
Chair, House Committee on Ways and Means
State House, Room 243
24 Beacon St.
Boston, MA 02133

Dear Chairman Michlewitz and Committee Members,
We are writing to you in support of H.2554, An Act Relative to Routine Childhood Immunizations, which was recently reported favorably out of the House Committee on Health Care Financing. The aim of H.2554 is to ensure that Massachusetts vaccine recommendations should be based on sound scientific evidence and that its residents should be able to access immunizations and immunization data. The undersigned organizations respectfully request that
the House Committee on Ways and Means report out favorably H.2554, An Act Relative to Routine Childhood Immunizations, which would remove the non-medical exemption from required school vaccines and enhance data collection and sharing to better track immunization
rates.

H.2554 is supported by leading medical, public health, labor, education, and community organizations. Additionally, polling conducted statewide shows that Massachusetts voters and parents overwhelmingly support strong vaccine requirements and strengthening immunization reporting requirements. 70% of Massachusetts voters support H.2554’s passage, with support rising to 72% after respondents considered various arguments for and against the legislation.
Support for H.2554 was broadly consistent among voters from various demographic groups and areas of the state.

Major religious groups agree that immunization is part of society’s moral duty to care for the greater common good. Even religious organizations in traditionally conservative areas take this stance, with some religious private schools setting their own strong vaccine requirements. Recent data from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health indicate that use of the non-medical exemption continues to steadily increase. During the 2025-2026 school year, over a thousand kindergartners received non-medical exemptions from at least one vaccine—more than in any previous year. Dozens of schools reported MMR immunization rates low enough to leave them vulnerable to outbreaks.

With measles cases already reported in Massachusetts this year, we must act now to prevent its spread. Eliminating non-medical exemptions is the most effective way to prevent outbreaks and ensure strong immunization rates.

We respectfully ask that the Committee report H.2554 out favorably. Thank you for your leadership and your support of this important legislation.

Sincerely,
Katie Blair, JD, Director
Massachusetts Families for Vaccines
Northe Saunders, President
American Families for Vaccines
Jessica Tang, President
American Federation of Teachers Massachusetts
Patti Wukovits and Alicia Stillman, Co-Executive Directors
American Society for Meningitis Prevention
Azhar Majeed, Director of Government Affairs and Policy
Center for Inquiry
Justin Pasquariello, Chief Executive Officer
East Boston Social Centers
Alicia Stillman, Executive Director
Emily Stillman Foundation
Ryan D. Jayne, Senior Policy Counsel
Freedom From Religion Foundation Action Fund
Lisa Lemieux, President
Greater Southeastern Massachusetts Labor Council
Matt Prentice, MPH, Director of Policy
Immune Deficiency Foundation

Patti Wukovits, BSN, RN, AMB-BC, Executive Director
Kimberly Coffey Foundation
Chloe Schwartz, MPH, Director, Maternal & Infant Health Initiative
March of Dimes
David Cohen, Co-Chair
Mass-Care
Manju Mahajan, MD, FAAFP, President
Massachusetts Academy of Family Physicians
Lissette Blondet, EdM, Executive Director
Taylor Rich, MPH, CCHW, Senior Manager of Training
Massachusetts Association of Community Health Workers
William J. Eddy, Executive Director
Massachusetts Association of Early Education & Care
Brenda Anders Pring, MD, FAAP, President
Massachusetts Chapter, American Academy of Pediatrics
Lauren Doctoroff, MD, MBA, Governor
Hemal Sampat, MD & Sunny Kung, MD, Co-Chairs, Health and Public Policy Committee
Massachusetts Chapter of the American College of Physicians
Emily Dulong, Vice President, Government Advocacy and Public Policy
Massachusetts Health & Hospital Association
Rebecca W. Brendel, MD, JD, President
Massachusetts Medical Society
Kathresha Cureton, President
Massachusetts PTA
Oami Amarasingham, JD, Deputy Director
Massachusetts Public Health Alliance

Michael Constantine, MD, President
Massachusetts Society of Clinical Oncologists
Max Page, President
Massachusetts Teachers Association
John Lippitt, Ph.D., Leadership Team Member
Progressive Democrats of Massachusetts
Jonathan Cohn, Policy Director
Progressive Massachusetts
Dan Hoffer, Political and Legislative Director
SEIU Local 509
Laura Packard, Founder
Voices of Health Care Action