Illinois Governor JB Pritzker signed House Bill 767 into law on Tuesday, establishing a state-level framework for vaccine policy and access in response to growing uncertainty surrounding federal guidance.
Under the new law, the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) can issue its own immunization recommendations, independent of federal agencies such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The IDPH will be guided by the Illinois Immunization Advisory Committee (IAC), a panel of medical and public health experts. The IAC can override the IDPH director’s recommendations with a two-thirds vote, a measure designed to ensure vaccine decisions remain science-based.
The law also requires state-regulated insurance plans to cover all vaccines recommended by the IDPH at no cost to patients, regardless of federal policy. Additionally, pharmacists are now permitted to administer certain vaccines to children as young as three, lowering the previous minimum age of seven. The IDPH must also publish vaccine guidelines and committee recommendations online.
Governor Pritzker emphasized the importance of trusted, expert-driven vaccine guidance for Illinois families. “While RFK Jr. and his QAnon-inspired colleagues spread conspiracy theories and dangerous misinformation about vaccines, Illinois is stepping up to protect the health of our people,” Pritzker said.
The bill comes after recent actions by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who dismissed all 17 members of the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, a move experts say weakened national vaccine policy.
The law has drawn criticism from some Illinois Republicans, including Rep. Bill Hauter (R-Morton), a medical doctor, who called it “a Trump derangement syndrome bill.” He stated, “We are pro-vaccination, but this bill makes sure that we can’t vote for it because we have a bill that’s signaling to their base how much they’re battling the ‘evil’ Trump administration.”
In a related move, Illinois will also cap prescription inhaler costs at $25 starting in 2026.