ANNAPOLIS, MD – Lieutenant Governor Aruna Miller today testified before the Maryland Senate Finance Committee in strong support of SB 385, the VAX Act, a key legislative priority of the Moore-Miller Administration to safeguard access to vaccines, screenings, and preventive health services for Marylanders.
“The federal government provides nationwide public health coordination that states can’t duplicate on their own,” Lt. Governor Miller said in her testimony. “At the same time, states have a responsibility to act when clarity or continuity is needed locally. Maryland is doing exactly that.”
The legislation decouples Maryland’s vaccine and preventive services authority from federal bodies that have recently departed from long-standing scientific norms. Instead, it anchors state recommendations to independent, authoritative medical organizations, including the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG)—organizations that have guided evidence-based care for decades.
Under the bill, Maryland health insurers would be required to provide zero-cost coverage for vaccines, screenings, and preventive services recommended by the Secretary of Health. The VAX Act also modernizes statute to reflect current pharmacy practice, authorizing pharmacists to administer recommended vaccines, and removes outdated language to better align Maryland law with modern public health standards.
This bill creates no new vaccination mandates. It simply protects Marylanders’ freedom to access the vaccinations and preventive care, including cancer screenings, that their doctors recommend and that individuals decide are right for them.
“Recent and rapid shifts at the federal level have created tremendous confusion and instability, putting public health at risk,” Lt. Governor Miller said. “These changes bypassed the established, evidence-based process, including independent medical and public health expertise, and broke from standards of transparency and scientific consensus. That lack of clarity creates uncertainty for states, providers, and families—and underscores the need for Maryland to ensure its public health guidance is clear.”
The Moore-Miller Administration has already taken significant steps to protect vaccine access, including expanding pharmacist vaccination authority, safeguarding insurance coverage for vaccines recommended by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices as of December 31, 2024, and launching a first-of-its-kind adult vaccine program for uninsured and underinsured Marylanders. The VAX Act builds on those efforts by providing a durable, long-term framework to protect public health.
“This legislation is not about politics, it’s about continuity, clarity, and care,” Lt. Governor Miller said. “SB 385 provides all three.”
To watch Lt. Governor Miller’s full testimony to the Senate Finance Committee, CLICK HERE.
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