Federal Vaccine Guidelines Changed. Should Wisconsin Change Too?

During the recent League of Women Voters candidate forum, I was asked a question I didn't have an answer to:

“Should the public school system’s vaccine mandates be updated to match the new federal vaccine guidelines?”

Instead of trying to come up with an answer on the spot, I said something I think elected officials should be more comfortable saying:

I don't know enough about this yet. I need to research it.

And I promised I would.

First, a huge thank you to one of my followers, J.D., who had the foresight to make a voice recording of the forum. Without his recording, going back to the exact wording of this question and my response would have been much more difficult.

So... here's what I've learned.

The Federal Recommendations Did Change

On January 5, 2026, the CDC changed the way the federal childhood immunization schedule is organized. Some vaccines continue to be recommended routinely for all children, while others are now categorized based on individual risk or shared clinical decision-making between a healthcare provider and a patient or parent.

That distinction matters.

It is also important to clarify that the federal government generally isn't setting Wisconsin's school vaccine requirements. Wisconsin establishes its own requirements for students attending school.

Wisconsin law also already recognizes that vaccine decisions can involve different circumstances by allowing medical, religious and personal-conviction waivers.

So the question I was asked wasn't quite as simple as, “Should Wisconsin follow the federal government?”

The larger question is this:

When federal medical guidance says some vaccine decisions should involve individualized conversations between patients, parents and healthcare providers, what role should state government play in those decisions?

I'm not a doctor

And I don't intend to pretend to be one because I'm running for office.

I've actually tried to find a physician willing to publicly discuss these changes and what they could mean for everyday Wisconsin residents. That has been more difficult than I expected.

For me, that reinforces something I already believe: medical decisions are deeply personal, and lawmakers should be very careful about substituting political judgment for individualized medical guidance.

I believe vaccine decisions should involve you, your doctor and, when we're talking about children, their parent or guardian.

That doesn't mean public health doesn't matter. It absolutely does.

It also doesn't mean every vaccine or every disease presents the same risk. What it means is that when medical guidance itself recognizes that circumstances can differ from person to person, I think government should recognize that distinction too.

So, Would I Automatically Change Wisconsin Law to Match Every Federal Recommendation?

No.

Federal recommendations can change. State recommendations can change. Medical organizations can disagree about the best approach.

I would want to understand the evidence behind a proposed change, hear from physicians and public-health professionals, understand the consequences for schools and communities, and make sure the people most affected by the decision have an opportunity to be heard.

But I would begin from a simple principle:

When medical guidance recognizes that a decision should be individualized, I don't think legislators should casually replace that conversation with a one-size-fits-all mandate.

At the forum, I promised I would research the question instead of giving an answer I wasn't prepared to defend.

This is where that research has led me.

As of 9-16-26, The recording is now live, and you can watch it here: YouTube