Trenton, N.J. – Governor Phil Murphy announced he has signed legislation shifting New Jersey’s vaccination and immunization guidance from federal to state oversight, citing growing concerns about misinformation and distrust in public health.
We have seen RFK, Jr. and the Trump Administration do everything in their power to undermine trust in vaccines and health professionals.
-New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy
In a statement posted to social media Friday, Murphy accused Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and the Trump administration of working to “undermine trust in vaccines and health professionals.” He said the new law ensures that New Jersey will establish its own vaccine recommendations through collaboration with major medical organizations including the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Academy of Family Physicians, and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.
Under the law, health insurers and benefit plans must cover vaccines recommended by the New Jersey Department of Health with no cost-sharing for patients. Murphy said the measure is designed to strengthen confidence in vaccines and maintain high immunization rates across the state.
The governor described the move as a response to what he called “increasingly unreliable” federal vaccine guidance, positioning New Jersey among the first states to formally set its own immunization standards.
Murphy said the state’s goal is to reinforce trust in science and protect residents from preventable diseases through independent, evidence-based health policy.