Pa. Gov. Josh Shapiro’s administration will rescind disease-tracking regulations that reignited pandemic-era outrage
The decision was made after the state received more than 10,000 comments opposing the changes, the Pennsylvania Department of Health said Friday.
Gov. Josh Shapiro’s administration will rescind a series of proposed vaccination and disease-tracking regulations that reignited public outrage toward restrictive pandemic-era policies in Pennsylvania — a decision made after receiving more than 10,000 comments opposing the changes, the state Department of Health said Friday.
The state Department of Health will withdraw the regulations, incorporate feedback, and resubmit the public health rules “once Pennsylvanians’ feedback has been adequately incorporated,” Neil Ruhland, a spokesperson for the department, said in a statement.
Shapiro’s administration earlier this year submitted the proposed regulations aimed at combatting infectious diseases to the Independent Regulatory Review Commission, a little-known board that assesses and approves new state regulations, requiring public input before they can be implemented. These regulations had been in progress for years, but were not introduced to the public until June 4 of this year.
The public comment period coincided with a high-profile clash between Shapiro and U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. over two infant deaths that Pennsylvania attributed to the measles — the first deaths from the highly contagious and preventable disease in the state in 35 years. And it quickly refueled public disapproval of government mandates enacted during the COVID-19 pandemic.
» READ MORE: Josh Shapiro’s measles response — and its backlash — reignites COVID-19 fury
The 502-page proposed regulations would have expanded the state Department of Health’s investigatory powers deemed necessary to track, prevent, contain or mitigate a contagious disease. Republican state lawmakers and thousands of enraged constituents were especially concerned by a provision that would allow the state Department of Health or other local health authorities to enter schools or private properties to investigate alleged outbreaks.
Nearly all of the members of the Republican Senate and House caucuses in Pennsylvania’s split legislature submitted letters in opposition to the proposed regulations, arguing they were more restrictive than the ones enacted during the COVID-19 public health emergency and would infringe on Pennsylvanians’ constitutional rights.
“The proposed regulations represent executive-branch overreach reminiscent of what we experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic — but this time, the rules would be permanent,” Senate President Pro Tempore Kim Ward said in a statement earlier this week. “Every Pennsylvanian should understand these regulations and how they could impact their lives.”
Shapiro’s administration has rescinded at least 11 other regulation proposals since taking office in 2023, according to administration officials. But the deluge of feedback is rare, and most proposed regulations receive around five public comment submissions, a Shapiro official said.
Monday was the final day for public comment submissions. As part of their opposition campaign, Republican lawmakers encouraged their constituents to voice their opinion as part of public comment. By the end of the day, the review commission receiving more than 10,000 comments opposing the regulations.
“The Department of Health received a historically high volume of feedback during the public commentary period and it is clear additional stakeholder input is needed,” Ruhland said.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
Staff writers Sam Janesch and Michelle Baruchman contributed to this article.
