Removes requirement that DC students receive a COVID-19 vaccine, repeals Coronavirus Immunization of School Students Temporary Amendment Act of 2022

State: DC
Bill Number: B25-0377
Position: SUPPORT
Action Required: NONE
Status: ENACTED, signed by Mayor Bowser, Act Number A25-0200, effective immediately, expires 10/29/2023

Legislation Details:

UPDATE: 8/4/2023 - Act A25-0200 (B25-0377) was published in the DC Register; Vol 70, page 010752.

UPDATE: 8/1/2023 - B25-0377 was enacted, The signed B25-0377 was returned from Mayor Bowser. 

UPDATE: 7/31/2023 - B25-0377 was signed by Mayor Muriel Bowser and Enacted with Act Number A25-0200 on 7/31/2023, effective immediately.  The act will expire 10/29/2023. Click HERE to view the signed Act. 

UPDATE: 7/20/2023 - B25-0377 was transmitted to the Mayor on 7/20/2023, response is due on 8/3/2023. 

UPDATE: 7/12/2023 - The Council passed B25-0377 on 7/11/2023 by a vote of 11 Yes, 1 Present, 1 Absent.

On 7/11/2023, Chairman Phil Mendelson sent a memo to Councilmember Christina Henderson regarding this bill, and stating, "Currently, no other state in the country has mandated a COVID-19 vaccine to attend school." 

B25-0377 was introduced by Councilmember Christina Henderson and Chairman Phil Mendelsohn on 7/10/2023.

Background (from the DC Council website)

On December 21, 2021, the Council approved legislation requiring all students attending school in the District and eligible to be vaccinated against COVID-19 to receive that vaccination, unless a medical or religious exemption can be claimed.

Originally, that law required students and families to submit proof of COVID-19 vaccination (or exemption documentation) by March 1, 2022 in order to attend school during school year (SY) 2022-23. However, on November 15, 2022, the Council passed temporary legislation that moved enforcement of the COVID-19 vaccination requirement from SY2022-23 to SY2023-24, due to concerns about levels of access to COVID-19 vaccines and disparate impacts across student sub-groups.

This emergency legislation repeals the COVID-19 vaccination requirement for SY2023-24 while the Council considers permanent legislation.

This act shall take effect following approval by the Mayor, and shall remain in effect for no longer than 90 days, as provided for emergency acts of the Council of the District of Columbia in section 412(a) of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act.

A good article describing what occurred can be read at: https://childrenshealthdefense.org/defender/dc-school-covid-vaccine-mandate-chd/. 

https://lims.dccouncil.gov/Legislation/B25-0377 - text, status, and history of B25-0377