Gov. Jared Polis on March 30 signed a new law that aims to shield Colorado’s vaccine rules from shifting federal guidance while opening more options for where residents can get their shots. The measure lets the State Board of Health lean on recommendations from several major medical groups and cements pharmacists’ authority to both prescribe and administer vaccines.
What the law does
Per the Colorado General Assembly's bill summary, SB26-032, Promoting Immunization Access, the State Board of Health may now factor in recommendations from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices as well as the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Academy of Family Physicians, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and the American College of Physicians. The law also authorizes pharmacists to use independent prescriptive authority for vaccines and requires the state board of pharmacy to review and repeal duplicate or outdated record-keeping rules by Oct. 1. Supporters say the change gives Colorado flexibility to buy vaccines and send outbreak notices based on a broader set of expert groups if federal guidance or funding shifts.
Why lawmakers moved
The legislation follows a federal overhaul of the childhood immunization schedule in early January that shifted several previously routine shots into a "shared clinical decision-making" category, which left some families unsure about which vaccines to pursue. According to KFF, vaccines for hepatitis A and B, rotavirus, meningococcal disease, influenza and COVID-19 were among those reclassified, and insurers and states scrambled to explain what remained covered. Colorado’s public health agency had already said it would continue to follow peer-reviewed guidance and incorporated the American Academy of Pediatrics’ 2025 schedule into state school and child-care requirements, the department said in a Jan. 6 press release.
Reactions from advocates and clinicians
Supporters argue the new rules should keep state guidance steadier, even if federal recommendations keep changing. Immunize Colorado Executive Director Susan Lontine told Denver7 that "The professional medical associations are a stable and reliable source," and Dr. Bob Belknap of Denver Health told the station that patients are showing up with questions heavily influenced by what they see on social media.
Budget, liability and next steps
The bill updates liability protections for hospitals, clinics, pharmacies and providers that handle, store and distribute vaccines and phases some manufacturer and wholesaler protections through 2029, with additional changes to follow later, according to the enacted text. Per the Colorado General Assembly summary, the law also allows the state to use general fund money to purchase childhood vaccines if federal Vaccines for Children funding is cut and directs CDPHE to consider recommendations from both ACIP and major physician groups when purchasing vaccines and sending outbreak notices. State data underscore the stakes: Colorado recorded 36 measles cases in 2025, and local reporting shows at least a dozen cases so far this year, nearly all among unvaccinated people.
With the law now on the books, the State Board of Health and CDPHE will begin rulemaking and outreach ahead of the busy spring and back-to-school seasons. The practical work, officials say, is to make sure clinics and pharmacies are stocked and that parents hear clear, consistent explanations from trusted clinicians. Implementation details and any follow-up appropriations will determine whether the change smooths access or creates new budget pressures for the state.
