After CDC vaccine changes, states push to keep childhood shots free, accessible

Source: NBC News

Feb. 28, 2026, 6:00 AM EST


As the Trump administration shakes up recommendations for childhood vaccines, a growing number of states are moving quickly to ensure vaccines remain free and health care workers are protected from lawsuits.

“States are stepping in to protect their communities proactively,” said Dr. David Higgins, a practicing pediatrician in Aurora, Colorado, and vice president of the Colorado chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Colorado is one of at least six states –– along with Alaska, California, Illinois, Maryland and Vermont –– that have introduced vaccine-related bills in recent months, in an unprecedented break from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which overhauled the childhood vaccine schedule in early January.

Colorado’s Senate Bill 32 stands out as the most extensive of the proposals. It would expand malpractice liability protections for health care providers –– including doctors, nurses, pharmacists, clinics, hospitals and insurance companies –– related to childhood vaccines recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics, the leading pediatricians group, as well as the CDC’s vaccine advisory committee.

Read more: https://www.nbcnews.com/health/kids-health/cdc-vaccine-changes-states-childhood-shots-accessible-rfk-jr-rcna260478