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HB 1811 · 2026 · House · Health, Human Services and Elderly Affairs Committee

Repealing childhood vaccine requirements

AI-generated

repealing statutory immunization requirements for children.

Repeals statutory childhood immunization requirements, including exemption procedures, school and child care recordkeeping, and related rulemaking, and bars the state and its political subdivisions from requiring vaccinations, allowing only advisory recommendations.AI-generated

Status

Killed in the House — Inexpedient to Legislate · February 19, 2026
  1. ✓Introduced
  2. ✕House
  3. Senate
  4. Governor
  5. Law

Analysis

This bill repeals immunization requirements for children, including requirements regarding religious and medical exemptions, recordkeeping by schools and child care agencies, and rulemaking.

From the bill's official ANALYSIS section.

In the bill's words

Quoted verbatim from the bill as introduced.

“The general court finds that vaccine mandates represent an overreach of governmental authority and are inherently coercive. Mandating that individuals receive any medical intervention without their explicit and informed consent constitutes a violation of fundamental rights and the principles of liberty. Mandates dictating medical choices without consent are unjust and amount to tyranny.”
Section 1, I

The findings the bill opens with — unusually blunt language for a statement of policy.AI-generated

“The department of health and human services may recommend vaccinations for public, private, or daycare enrollment or entry. These recommendations shall be construed only as advisory opinions of the department and shall not be used to deny services or access to any person in the state of New Hampshire. The department and any political subdivision of the state of New Hampshire shall not require vaccinations under any circumstance.”
RSA 141-C:20-a

What replaces the schedule: recommendations that are advisory only, and a flat bar on any requirement.AI-generated

“RSA 141-C:20-b, relative to records of childhood immunizations. II. RSA 141-C:20-c, relative to exemptions from childhood immunization requirements. III. RSA 141-C:20-d, relative to an attendance exemption for unvaccinated children during an outbreak of communicable disease. IV. RSA 141-C:20-e, relative to immunization reports to the department of health and human services by schools and child care agencies. VI. RSA 141-C:6, XIV - XVII, relative to rulemaking requirements regarding childhood immunization requirements, including age for administration, number of doses, acceptable level of immunization for enrollment in school or child care agency, and maintenance of immunization records.”
Section 4, Repeal

The repeal list reaches past the mandate to the records, the exemptions, the outbreak rule, and school reporting.AI-generated

“Every person has the natural, essential, and inherent right to bodily integrity, free from any threat or compulsion by government to accept an immunization. Accordingly, no person may be compelled to receive an immunization [for COVID-19] in order to secure, receive, or access any public facility, any public benefit, or any public service from the state of New Hampshire, or any political subdivision thereof, including but not limited to counties, cities, towns, precincts, water districts, school districts, school administrative units, or quasi-public entities.”
RSA 141-C:1-a, I

The 2021 COVID-only protection becomes general: bracketed matter is what the bill strikes.AI-generated

Official record

Bill page — docket & status

gc.nh.gov · the authoritative source

Sponsors

Rep. Matt DrewRPrime
  • Rep. Robert WherryRChair· Special Committee on COVID Response Efficacy
  • Rep. Tom MannionRAssistant Majority Whip

Also: Rep. Linda McGrathR, Rep. Yury PolozovR, Rep. Donald McFarlaneR, Rep. Lori KorzenR, Rep. Jim KofaltR

Public testimony

6,878 signed in online · 2,379 wrote testimony

53% support47% oppose0% neutral

ForMandates violate bodily autonomy and informed consent

AgainstVaccines are safe and effective public health achievements

AI-generatedLeading arguments, summarized by the testimony tool.

Read the arguments

In their wordsVerbatim, exactly as submitted

“Parents care enough to make decisions on vaccines. Most vaccines have not been shown to be effective nor of any value.…”
— David Werner, Hollis · David wernersupports
“Parents shall have the authority to make decisions for their children. End of story there. Vaccines have not been proven to be safe and effective. They can shed, people who get them still get sick and are sometimes worse off than those who do not get them.…”
— Christyanna Umenhofer, Goffstownsupports
“I support this bill because it is the express right of a parent to exercise informed consent in the administration of all healthcare products and decisions.”
— Amanda Weeden, Rochestersupports
“Eliminating vaccine mandates for enrollment in public schools and daycare centers puts everyone at risk, especially children with disabilities who may be immunocompromised or unable to be vaccinated due to their medical conditions.…”
— Karen Rosenberg, Concord · Disability Rights Center - NHopposes
“This is idiocy. Are you people all too young to have known anyone who was crippled by polio?”
— Bonnie Hill, South Suttonopposes
“This is an unbelievably dangerous and stupid bill. Clearly, the sponsors of this bill have absolutely no idea how medicine is practiced. There is no provider in this state, or likely this entire country, who is providing vaccinations without informed consent.…”
— david rich, Doveropposes
“My name is Damian Santana, and I am the Public Health Emergency Preparedness Coordinator for The Capital Area Public Health Network.…”
— Damian Santana, Newmarketneutral

Verbatim excerpts of submitted testimony, quoted from the testimony tool.

Read the testimony · as of Aug 12, 2026

Votes

yeanay
Starting text: Bill as introduced
  • Feb 11, 2026HouseCommittee report· regular calendar: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2026-0644h10–8
    Overall
    56% yea
  • Feb 19, 2026HouseDivisionAmendment 2026-0644hFailed166–171
    Overall
    49% yea
  • Feb 19, 2026HouseRoll callOught to PassFailed155–192How they voted
    Overall
    45% yea
    Party-line vote
    Republicans
    155–3582% yea
    Democrats
    0–1570% yea
  • Feb 19, 2026HouseVoice voteInexpedient to Legislateadopted

Hearings and debates

  • Feb 4, 2026Public hearingHouse Health, Human Services and Elderly Affairs2:23:04–2:47:1824m 14slocated in the stream transcriptPublic Hearing
  • Feb 11, 2026Public hearingHouse Health, Human Services and Elderly Affairs5:50:47–6:14:1723m 30slocated in the stream transcriptMajority Committee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2026-0644h — roll call; Minority Committee Report: Inexpedient to Legislate; Executive Session
  • Feb 19, 2026Floor debateHouse floor2:20:11–2:23:133m 2slocated in the stream transcriptOught to Pass — failed, roll call 155-192; Inexpedient to Legislate — adopted, voice vote; Amendment # 2026-0644h — failed, division 166-171

Timestamps locate where this bill is taken up in the chamber's YouTube stream.

Legislative history

  1. Jan 7, 2026HouseIntroduced 01/07/2026 and referred to Health, Human Services and Elderly Affairs HJ 1 P. 37
  2. Feb 4, 2026HousePublic Hearing: 02/04/2026 09:00 am GP 158
  3. Feb 11, 2026HouseExecutive Session: 02/11/2026 02:30 pm GP 158
  4. Feb 11, 2026HouseMajority : Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2026-0644h 02/11/2026 (Vote 10-8; RC) HC 7 P. 33
  5. Feb 11, 2026HouseMinority : Inexpedient to Legislate
  6. Feb 19, 2026HouseAmendment # 2026-0644h: AF DV 166-171 02/19/2026 HJ 5 P. 77
  7. Feb 19, 2026HouseOught to Pass: MF RC 155-192 02/19/2026 HJ 5 P. 80
  8. Feb 19, 2026HouseInexpedient to Legislate: MA VV 02/19/2026 HJ 5 P. 80

Coverage

Background reading

Evergreen reading on the policy area — spanning perspectives — not coverage of this specific bill.

Documents (PDF)

Bill text & amendments link direct to gc.nh.gov; committee reports stream from the state record.