Hi Friend,
CFI’s Office of Public Policy (OPP) has spent the first few months of 2026 advocating for science, secular values, and the separation of church and state. During a busy start to the state legislative season, that has meant opposing and lobbying against a host of harmful bills related to CFI’s core mission. We also have an important federal update to share below. As always, thank you for your support of CFI and our public advocacy. |
Opposing Pro-Naturopathy Legislation
So far in 2026, we have seen several state bills introduced that would allow the practice of naturopathy, subject to few limitations. In Florida, the OPP lobbied against S. 688, which broadly permits the practice of naturopathy and defines it to include the use of botanical or fungal extracts, homeopathic remedies, dietary supplements, and “lifestyle medicine” (whatever that actually means).
The OPP lobbied with Florida lawmakers and made clear that naturopathy relies on pseudoscience and is scientifically discredited; nearly all medical experts reject naturopathy because it uses unproven or disproven treatments. When the Florida House and Senate nonetheless passed S. 688, we created an action alert for CFI supporters in Florida to contact the governor and urge a veto. The governor’s decision is still pending.
We tracked similar legislation in Wisconsin (AB 639 / SB 632) that licenses naturopaths. However, those bills failed to advance during Wisconsin’s legislative session. And we are following other pro-naturopathy bills that were introduced in Kansas and Missouri. If either of those bills gains momentum, we will take immediate action to prevent enactment.
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‘Intelligent Design’ in Public School Classrooms?
Every year, it seems, there are at least one or two states that introduce bills mandating (or permitting) the teaching of “intelligent design” in public schools. Intelligent design, of course, is a religious viewpoint holding that the evolution of life in the universe can only be explained through the actions of a supernatural force or being. It is a violation of the First Amendment to allow the teaching of intelligent design in taxpayer-funded public schools.
Arizona SB 1025, introduced earlier this year, mandates that a school can teach evolution by natural selection only if it “provides concurrent instruction” in intelligent design. The OPP opposed this bill from the onset and provided written testimony to the Arizona Senate’s Committee on Education. We argued that Arizona students deserve to learn proper science, not religious dogma masquerading as a scientific theory.
We were gratified when the Education Committee declined to approve and advance the bill. This represents a win for Arizona’s public schools, teachers, and (most of all) students. |
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Numerous Anti-Vaccine Bills
In Iowa, the OPP fought back against legislation (HF 2171) that would eliminate Iowa’s school vaccination requirements for K–12 students in their entirety. This bill would be a public health disaster and would make Iowa the first state in the country to completely eliminate vaccination requirements for elementary and secondary students.
The OPP submitted written testimony to the Iowa House of Representatives in March, urgently counseling against the bill’s enactment. Thankfully, the Iowa legislature has so far declined to adopt this measure.
And in New Hampshire, the OPP lobbied against HB 1719, which would remove Hepatitis B from the list of diseases for which immunization is required under state law. The bill’s sponsors based this measure on new federal guidance from the Trump Administration, which no longer fully recommends the Hepatitis B vaccine. In written testimony provided on March 25, the OPP highlighted the effectiveness of the Hepatitis B vaccine and pointed out that just about every public health organization in the United States opposes HB 1719. The New Hampshire legislature is still deliberating over this bill.
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Federal Homeopathy Regulation (or Lack Thereof)
At the federal level, the OPP’s main priority in recent weeks has been lobbying against a pro-homeopathy bill that was introduced in Congress. HR 7050 would codify protections for homeopathic products in federal law, and it would make it easier for homeopathic groups to market and sell their products. Of course, homeopathy is bunk science and must be heavily regulated by any policymaker who cares about public health and protecting American consumers from fraud.
The OPP has been in contact with numerous Congressional offices, urging them not to cosponsor or support this dangerous bill. We sent out an action alert to CFI supporters across the country, asking them to contact their Senators and Representatives and make clear that, as constituents, they oppose HR 7050. And we have continuously tracked this bill, which has not advanced out of its committee in the House of Representatives. This will continue to be our priority at the federal level.
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The OPP is proud to represent CFI supporters in the halls of power. Whether lobbying on a major federal bill or a relatively obscure state bill, we stand on principle, and we do it thanks to your support.
Sincerely, |
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Azhar Majeed Director of Government Affairs and Policy |
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Center for Inquiry
PO Box 741
Amherst, NY 14226
United States |
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