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PA Rep. Venkat’s vaccine access bill clears key hurdle
“Many in Pennsylvania depend on pharmacists for access to vaccines,” Venkat said in a statement after the committee vote.
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Malvika Choudhary - Thu, 09, Oct 2025
- 14:46 EDT
- 26
Arvind Venkat / X (Arvind Venkat)
A bill co-sponsored by Representative Arvind Venkat to safeguard the ability of pharmacists to administer vaccines in Pennsylvania has cleared a key legislative hurdle.
House Bill 1881, introduced by Venkat along with Representatives Tarik Khan, Bridget Kosierowski, and Jennifer O'Mara, passed out of the Professional Licensure Committee and now moves to the full Pennsylvania House for consideration.
Also Read: NASW Pennsylvania names Arvind Venkat Legislator of the Year
“Many in Pennsylvania depend on pharmacists for access to vaccines,” Rep. Venkat said in a statement after the committee vote.
Addressing the House, Venkat underscored that the legislation seeks to modernize the state’s Pharmacy Act amid evolving federal guidelines and conflicting standards among medical authorities.
Many in PA depend on pharmacists for access to vaccines. Today, my bill, HB 1881, with @RepTarik, @RepBridget, and @RepOMara to protect the ability of pharmacists to provide vaccines in PA passed out of the Professional Licensure Committee. The bill now moves to the full PA House pic.twitter.com/qclGTP1WYg
— Rep. Arvind Venkat, MD (@RepVenkat) October 8, 2025
“Because of changes at the federal level, there is a need to modernize our Pharmacy Act to make sure that relevant authorities are providing guidance to pharmacists in terms of the administration of vaccines,” he said.
Venkat clarified that the bill does not impose any vaccine mandates. “This is to protect access for Pennsylvanians who choose to receive vaccines,” he noted, expressing gratitude to the governor and the administration for their work on the issue.
The legislation would also add the Pennsylvania Department of Health as an authority able to provide guidance on vaccine administration, enhancing public accountability. “I do not believe that we have a higher responsibility than to protect the public health of our fellow Pennsylvanians as legislators,” he stated.
House Bill 1881 comes amid growing uncertainty surrounding federal vaccine policy. Recent changes at the federal level under Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. have rolled back several CDC-endorsed immunization recommendations, including those for healthy children and pregnant women.
The resulting lack of clear guidance prompted pharmacies such as CVS to suspend vaccine administration in Pennsylvania earlier this fall.
The bill passed the committee by a 14–12 vote along party lines and, if enacted, would take effect 60 days after becoming law.
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