Indiana Senate Passes Bill Curbing Local School Vaccine Mandates

The Indiana Senate on Thursday passed **Senate Bill 96**, which prohibits local school corporations and charter schools from imposing vaccination requirements more stringent than those set by the state. Sponsored by Sen. Becky Cash, R-Muncie, the bill passed 35-12 along mostly party lines, targeting K-12 districts amid ongoing disputes over childhood immunizations like MMR and others beyond COVID-19. It responds to complaints from parents in districts such as Carmel Clay and Hamilton Southeastern, where local policies have exceeded state minimums.

Supporters, including Sen. Travis Holdman, R-Markle, argued the measure restores balance by preventing 'overreach' in places like Indianapolis Public Schools, where stricter mandates have fueled lawsuits. The legislation allows exemptions for medical, religious or philosophical reasons, aligning with Indiana's existing Code 20-34-3 framework. Critics, led by Senate Democrats like Sen. Greg Taylor, D-Indianapolis, warned it undermines public health efforts, citing Indiana's 2025 kindergarten vaccination rate of 86%—below the national 93%—and recent measles outbreaks in Elkhart County.

This follows the 2022 enactment of **House Bill 1001**, signed by Gov. Eric Holcomb, which restricted private employer COVID-19 vaccine mandates by requiring exemptions and testing options. That law, authored by Rep. Matt Lehman, R-Berne, passed after Senate amendments removed employer-paid testing mandates and eased religious exemption rules under federal Title VII standards. Schools were exempted then, but SB 96 now extends similar protections to education settings.

The bill heads to the House for consideration in the 2026 session, with Education Committee Chair Rep. Chuck Goodrich, R-Snob Hom, signaling support. If enacted, it would take effect July 1, 2026, potentially impacting back-to-school policies across Indiana's 291 school districts.