Minnesota Lawmakers Aim to Tighten Vaccine Exemptions

Bills would limit non-medical exemptions for measles, mumps and rubella vaccine

Published on Mar. 1, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

Minnesota lawmakers have introduced bills that would tighten exemptions for the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine. The proposed changes come after the U.S. recorded its worst year for measles cases since 1991. The bills would only allow medical exemptions for the MMR vaccine and require parents to consult with a healthcare provider before receiving an exemption.

Why it matters

The focus on the MMR vaccine is due to recent measles outbreaks, including one in South Carolina that has reached nearly 1,000 confirmed cases. Health experts say high vaccination rates, around 95%, are needed to maintain "herd immunity" and protect vulnerable populations. Currently, only about 79% of Minnesota 6-year-olds have been immunized against measles.

The details

The bills, introduced late in the 2025 Minnesota legislative session, would remove the "conscientious objection" exemption for the MMR vaccine, allowing only medical exemptions. Another bill would require parents to consult with a healthcare provider before receiving an exemption, to ensure they are making informed decisions.

  • In 2024, a measles outbreak in Minnesota sickened 52 people, mostly in Hennepin County.
  • In 2025, the U.S. recorded 2,280 measles cases, the most in a single year since 1991.

The players

Liz Boldon

A state senator from Rochester, Minnesota, and the chief author of the Senate bill to tighten MMR vaccine exemptions.

Tina Liebling

A state representative from Rochester, Minnesota, who is authoring a bill to require parents to consult with a healthcare provider before receiving a vaccine exemption.

Kaitlin McLean

A Minneapolis-based internal medicine resident physician and member of the Minnesota Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics's immunization work group.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“There are sometimes cases where it doesn't make medical sense for a certain kiddo to get that vaccine, and that is best determined by a physician. But it would remove the conscientious objection for this.”

— Liz Boldon, State Senator (postbulletin.com)

“We rely on something called herd immunity in order to protect kids from those highly transmittable diseases. For measles, specifically, we hope to have vaccination rates at about 95%.”

— Kaitlin McLean, Internal Medicine Resident Physician (postbulletin.com)

“In my short career here in Minnesota, I have already seen cases of measles. This is a disease that we have, in the United States, considered eradicated, previously.”

— Kaitlin McLean, Internal Medicine Resident Physician (postbulletin.com)

What’s next

With a nearly evenly split state legislature, the bills' authors say "time will tell" if the proposed changes will become law, as anything that passes this year will need bipartisan support.

The takeaway

These bills aim to maintain high vaccination rates and protect vulnerable populations, especially young children, from the resurgence of highly contagious diseases like measles that were once considered eradicated in the U.S. The debate highlights the ongoing tensions between personal choice and public health concerns around childhood immunizations.