New Jersey lawmakers are advancing a bill that would automatically enroll anyone who receives a vaccine into a statewide digital database, eliminating the current requirement for consent and igniting a broader conversation about data privacy and state control over personal health information.
We obtained a copy of the bill for you here.
The measure, labeled S1956, recently cleared the Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee with a 5-3 vote, split strictly along party lines. Democrats voted in favor, while Republicans stood opposed.
If enacted, the bill would overhaul the New Jersey Immunization Information System, a centralized vaccine tracking program, by shifting it from a partly voluntary system to one of full automatic enrollment.
Currently, only those born after January 1, 1998, are included by default unless a parent or guardian files an opt-out request. Everyone else must provide direct consent to be added. The proposed legislation would dissolve these age-based rules, placing anyone receiving a vaccine into the system automatically, regardless of birthdate or prior enrollment.
The push to expand the registry stems from a pandemic-era executive order issued by Governor Phil Murphy, enacted shortly before the FDA gave emergency authorization to the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine. That temporary directive is now on track to become a lasting statute as Murphy approaches the end of his term and cannot seek reelection.
While the bill does not impose vaccine requirements or restrict medical and religious exemptions, it includes a controversial provision: during any public health emergency, or when an outbreak or the threat of one is declared, the health commissioner could suspend the ability to opt out. The language authorizes denial of opt-out requests for specific vaccines and designated timeframes, raising alarms among privacy advocates.
Supporters, including bill sponsor Senator Joseph Vitale, argue that automatic enrollment will streamline public health operations and improve outreach. Vitale maintains that tracking vaccine data more efficiently can help officials identify gaps and respond more effectively.
But others see the bill as a step toward unchecked surveillance under the guise of health protection.
As the bill moves to the full Senate, concerns continue to mount over whether the state’s expanded role in data collection signals a shift away from personal autonomy and toward institutional control, with limited mechanisms for opting out, especially when health officials can revoke that option at will.
