House Human Services committee hears mixed testimony on H.545 immunization changes; regulators and insurers back coverage fixes while advocacy groups press for‑

The House Human Services Committee received several hours of testimony on H.545, a bill that would update how Vermont defines and recommends immunizations and how pharmacies and pharmacy technicians may provide them.

Jennifer Cohen, director of the Office of Professional Regulation, said OPR "supports this bill" and urged the panel to adopt language that would add a practicing advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) and a practicing pharmacist to the Vermont Immunization Advisory Council. Cohen said OPR submitted draft amendment language to place those seats in statute and help preserve access through both primary care and pharmacy channels.

Emily Carr, general counsel for OPR, told lawmakers that current Vermont pharmacy law is tied to recommendations from the federal Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) and that recent ACIP changes have created gaps in pharmacists' authority to provide certain vaccines. Carr said the amendment under consideration would "remove references to ACIP" from state pharmacy statutes and allow the commissioner of health to authorize vaccines for administration under state protocols, which would let pharmacists and pharmacy technicians continue to provide recommended immunizations.

From the insurer perspective, Nancy Hogue, pharmacy director for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Vermont, said the plan supports the bill's objective of covering recommended immunizations at no cost to members but asked the committee to guard against drafting that would unintentionally exclude people who live across state borders but use Vermont providers. Hogue also cautioned that if the state must purchase vaccines outside federal channels, it should avoid increases in overall vaccine costs to insurers and members.

Sebastian (Department of Financial Regulation) told the committee DFR "strongly supports" the coverage provisions in the draft and described the department's enforcement tools: consumer complaints and regular company examinations that review claims handling to ensure insurer compliance with Vermont law.

Two public commenters pressed the committee on different concerns. Amy Hornblatt, director of Vermont Stands Up, testified that members of her organization distrust federal recommendations, said citizens should be able to "question the science," and described harms she associates with masking and vaccination policy. Allison (co‑director of Health Choice Vermont) presented slides and historical background on the National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act and the national vaccine injury compensation program; she argued for state measures to strengthen informed consent, increase adverse‑event reporting and reconsider liability shields for manufacturers and administrators.

Allison suggested several specific changes for the committee's consideration, including a requirement for improved informed‑consent practices, annual reporting on vaccine adverse events to the legislature, funding for follow‑up assistance for people who report reactions, and review of liability language that she said currently limits accountability. Committee members asked clarifying questions about the legal and operational implications of any liability or reporting changes and emphasized that H.545 as drafted is recommendations‑focused rather than mandating vaccinations.

What happens next: committee members said they would review the OPR and stakeholder draft language, coordinate with the Department of Health where appropriate, and continue markup. Witnesses supplied written testimony and slides for the committee record and staff were asked to post materials to the committee website.