Sen. Cicarella Responds to Passage of H.B. 5044

Hartford — State Sen. Paul Cicarella (R-34) released the following statement following April 23 passage of H.B. 5044: An Act Establishing Connecticut Vaccine Standards:

“On March 11, the Legislative Office Building was packed with residents from across Connecticut who came to speak out on this proposal. People waited for hours, many all day, just for the chance to be heard.

That was a clear and unmistakable message from the public.

Despite that overwhelming response and the serious concerns raised by families across our state, this bill has now passed.

That should concern everyone.

As I said on the Senate floor, I take my responsibility to my constituents seriously. I listen to the people I represent, and when you see this level of public opposition, you have to question why we are moving forward anyway.

At its core, this proposal takes decision-making power away from families and places it in the hands of government. Parents, not the state, should be making decisions about their children’s health alongside their doctors.

No one should be forced to co-parent with the government.

This bill moves us toward a one-size-fits-all system where individual circumstances no longer matter. It also grants significant authority to a state Commissioner to make determinations that can override personal choice. That is a serious expansion of government power.

From a personal perspective, my wife is a nurse, and when it came to decisions about our own children, we made those choices together as a family. Those decisions belong with parents, not the state.

This debate was never about being for or against vaccines. It is about who makes the decision.

We can protect public health without stripping away personal responsibility and parental rights. Those principles should not be in conflict.

The thousands who submitted testimony and the hundreds who showed up on March 11 made their concerns clear. They deserved more than to be heard. They deserved to be taken seriously.”