Who We Are · Maine Immunization Coalition

MIC’s Strategic Plan

Our vision is of a Maine where every community is protected from vaccine-preventable diseases and has equitable access to immunizations and evidence-based information.

Our mission is to protect Maine people across their lifespan against vaccine-preventable diseases by increasing immunization rates through information sharing, fostering collaboration, and advocacy.

Our History

The Maine Immunization Coalition (MIC) has been advancing childhood and adult immunization education and policies for over 10 years. We have a mission toprotect Maine people across their lifespan against vaccine-preventable diseases, by increasing immunization rates through information sharing, fostering collaboration, and advocacy. The MIC convenes and coordinates education and advocacy efforts in support of evidence-based policies that result in improved immunization rates for children and adults in the State of Maine.

Over the years, MIC has had a number of successes. Some of these include:

Addition of Tdap to school-required vaccines for those entering 7th grade (effective as of 2017-2018 school year)
Addition of Meningococcal vaccine for students entering 7th grade and 12th grade (effective as of 2018-2019 school year)
Removal of philosophical and religious exemptions for school required vaccines (effective as of 2020-2021 school year)

Maine's Vaccine History and Highlights:

Maine does not allow personal or religious exemptions.
Maine’s state-level per capita public health spending is higher than the national rate.

Maine’s major vaccine policy milestones include the elimination of non-medical exemptions for schools and healthcare workers, the COVID-19 response, and the expansion of state vaccine purchasing programs.

In 1977, the Maine Legislature passed Public Law Chapter 471 ("An Act Requiring Immunization of Children Prior to Entering Grade School"), which formally established mandatory school-entry vaccinations for specific communicable diseases but allowed religious and philosophical exemptions.
On March 3, 2020, Maine became the first state in the U.S. to vote directly on vaccine laws. Voters upheld LD 798 with 72.5% voting in support.
In September 2021, PL 2019, c. 154, LD 798 (An Act to Protect Maine Children and Students from Preventable Disease by Repealing Certain Exemptions from the Laws Governing Immunization Requirements) took effect.Maine enacted the law removing religious and philosophical (personal) exemptions for required school and child care vaccinations, as well as for licensed healthcare workers, making it one of a handful of states with strictly medical-only exemption policies.
In January 2021, the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention launched its phased COVID-19 vaccination distribution framework, prioritizing high-risk healthcare personnel and long-term care facility residents in Phase 1a. In April 2021, vaccine eligibility expanded statewide to all Maine residents aged 16 and older.
In April 2026, LD 2071 (HP 1384) was signed by the Governor on April 13, 2026. The law gives pharmacists the power to prescribe, give, and sell FDA-approved vaccines, and it forces insurance plans to pay for them.
In July 2026, the Maine Immunization Program expanded its Universal Immunization Program, originally centered on children, to provide state-supplied vaccines at no cost for eligible adults aged 19 to 64 who are uninsured, underinsured, or on MaineCare.