Science Friday States Expected To See More ‘Anti-Science’ Bills This Year
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Jan 20, 2026 Joining the conversation are Laura Ungar, a science and medical reporter for the Associated Press, and Elise Plunk, an environmental reporter at the Louisiana Illuminator. They delve into the concerning rise of over 420 'anti-science' bills targeting vaccines and public health protections. Ungar outlines the bill landscape across states like Texas and Florida, while Plunk highlights grassroots pollution monitoring efforts in Louisiana facing legal restrictions. The discussion reveals the clash between rigorous scientific data and community-driven initiatives.
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Targeted Attacks On Proven Health Measures
- Anti-science bills targeted vaccines, milk safety, and fluoride because these measures have clear public-health benefits.
- Laura Ungar notes vaccines, pasteurization, and fluoridation have saved millions of lives and reduced disease and cavities.
Anti-Vaccine Bills Dominate The Wave
- Most of the bills were anti-vaccine, aiming to expand exemptions, ban vaccine types, or add regulatory hurdles.
- Some proposals were extreme, like labeling mRNA vaccines "weapons of mass destruction."
Some Measures Already Became Law
- About 30 bills had been enacted or adopted across 12 states by the fall timeframe of the report.
- Enacted measures appeared in states including Texas, Florida, North Dakota, Alabama, Montana, and Arkansas.