Hundreds of parents, healthcare professionals, and community members voiced strong opposition Wednesday during a marathon 14-hour public hearing on two proposed Connecticut bills that would expand state authority over vaccine recommendations while limiting religious exemptions.
The hearing, which ran past midnight, saw more than 200 of the 550-plus registered speakers deliver oral testimony.
In addition, over 2,000 written comments were submitted, many specifically criticizing a provision in Senate Bill (SB) 450 that would reinforce the state’s ban on religious exemptions for school vaccine requirements.
Proposed Bills Spark Controversy
Both SB 450 and House Bill (HB) 5044, introduced by Governor Ned Lamont, seek to grant the state health department greater authority to recommend vaccines for adults, regardless of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance.
The legislation would also mandate insurance coverage for vaccines recommended by the department and allow the state to source vaccines independently of the CDC.
Chiropractor and healthcare professional Jackie Flynn questioned the scope of authority vested in the appointed Public Health Commissioner, Manisha Juthani.
“She doesn’t enact any measures other than vaccines to ‘keep our residents healthy’ … Is it because we are beholden to the vaccine manufacturers to keep their profits up? All I hear is ‘vaccines, vaccines, vaccines,’” Flynn said, criticizing the bills for circumventing religious freedoms.
Parent and teacher Eva Jimenez raised concerns over the legislative process.
“Will you ram this legislation through despite overwhelming opposition from the public?” she asked.
Legal and Religious Freedom Concerns
Connecticut previously eliminated religious exemptions to school vaccine requirements in 2021, a move upheld after the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear a legal challenge in 2024.
However, the state’s Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) allows individuals to challenge laws that substantially burden religious exercise. SB 450 proposes to remove that avenue in the context of vaccines.
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Attorney Rick Jaffe submitted written comments warning that the bill could violate First Amendment protections. He cited a recent Supreme Court decision, Mahmoud v. Taylor, which emphasized that laws placing a serious burden on religious practice must meet strict scrutiny standards.
Attorney Lindy Urso, representing families challenging the 2021 repeal, argued that SB 450 was drafted specifically to block ongoing litigation.
“They are making it as bulletproof as they can so they can shut our lawsuit down,” Urso said, noting that she had never seen a state pass legislation mid-litigation explicitly to affect a pending case.
Political and Public Health Context
Connecticut, which has one of the highest vaccination rates in the U.S., indicated in January it may not follow the CDC’s new childhood vaccine recommendations.
Governor Lamont is part of the Governors Public Health Alliance, a coalition of 15 Democratic governors coordinating state-level public health initiatives independently of national agencies.
State lawmakers are expected to vote on the bills later this month. If approved, the legislation would go before the full legislature.
During the hearing, State Senator Heather Somers highlighted concerns that SB 450 explicitly applies to pending litigation, including Urso’s case, potentially undermining ongoing legal challenges.
Urso emphasized that her clients — families from Orange, Greenwich, and Stafford Springs — intend to continue pursuing their lawsuit regardless of legislative developments.
“Even if the legislation passes, we’re not going to go down without a fight,” she said, underscoring the ongoing tension between state public health authority and individual religious freedoms.
The hearing showcased the deep divide in Connecticut over vaccine policy, religious rights, and the balance of state versus federal public health authority.