Danielle Passalacqua

Good morning My name is Danielle, and I am a registered school nurse in Hollis, NH. I am here today to express my strong opposition to HB 1719, which would remove Hepatitis B from New Hampshire’s required vaccine schedule for children attending school and childcare. As a school nurse, I work daily to protect the health of our children, keep classrooms safe, and reduce the spread of preventable diseases. Requiring vaccines is not merely a formality—it is a critical public health strategy that has drastically reduced childhood illness and protected families across our state and our country. Hepatitis B: A Serious, Preventable Disease Hepatitis B is a serious viral infection that attacks the liver and can lead to chronic liver disease, cirrhosis, liver cancer, and even death. While infection in infancy and early childhood may be less common than in adults, when young children do become infected, they are far more likely to develop chronic infection with long-term health consequences. Hepatitis B Vaccine is Safe, Effective, and Strongly Recommended The Hepatitis B vaccine has been a cornerstone of pediatric immunization for decades. Medical experts, including the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), continue to recommend the vaccine for all children as part of the routine immunization schedule because it safely and effectively protects against this serious disease. Safety: The Hepatitis B vaccine has one of the strongest safety records of all childhood vaccines. Countless studies and years of clinical use confirm that serious adverse effects are extremely rare, while protection against infection is robust. Effectiveness: Since universal Hepatitis B vaccination began in the early 1990s, infection rates in children and adults have fallen dramatically, preventing thousands of cases of chronic liver disease and cancer. Experts, including those within New Hampshire’s own health community, have reaffirmed that the vaccine should continue to be administered on schedule, including at birth, because it provides lifelong protection and is proven safe and effective for preventing infection. Removing the Requirement is a “Death by a Thousand Cuts” As public health advocates have noted, removing one vaccine requirement at a time creates a dangerous precedent. Chipping away at our immunization infrastructure risks normalizing vaccine avoidance, encourages further legislative attempts to remove additional vaccines, and ultimately weakens the protections of all children in our state. This bill does not remove the hepatitis B vaccine from availability, but it undercuts the public health message that vaccination is expected and safe. Evidence from other policy changes shows that making vaccines “voluntary” or merely “recommended” leads to lower uptake, more disease outbreaks, and higher costs to families and the health care system. Public Health Education Must Be Preserved Finally, I want to underscore that education is not optional in public health, it is essential. Providing families with clear, accurate, evidence-based information about vaccines empowers them to make the best choices for their children and our communities. Legislation that signals vaccines are unnecessary or unsafe undermines that education and erodes trust in our health systems. We should be expanding access to science-based vaccine education, not sending a message that vaccines can be set aside without consequence. For the health and safety of all New Hampshire children, for the protection of vulnerable students in our schools, and for the integrity of our state’s public health policies, I respectfully ask you to vote no on HB 1719. Thank you for your time and consideration. Thank you, Danielle