[May 27, 2022] Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey signed House Bill (HB) 2086 into law on May 20, effectively banning mandatory Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) and human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination for K-12 students in the state. Under HB 2086, “immunization against HPV and COVID-19” – including the different variants of the latter – are no longer required before students can attend in-person learning. The Arizona Department of Health Services (DHS) is in charge of drafting the rules for students’ mandatory vaccines. HB 2086 also mandated that the DHS must also include a recognition of immunity from the two diseases.
Students with a medical contraindication to vaccines are exempted from the requirement. The same exemption also applies to students whose parents object to vaccination on grounds of religious or personal belief. As per the bill’s text, it “does not preclude a parent’s right to make health care decisions for the parent’s minor child.”
According to local Phoenix channel FOX 10, HB 2086 supersedes an earlier bill passed in 2021 that banned mandatory vaccination using vaccines that only have emergency use authorization. Following Ducey’s signature, HB 2086 will take effect 90 days after the Arizona Legislature adjourns its session for this year. (Related: Arizona governor bans state and local governments from requiring vaccine passports.)