School Entry Immunization

The act codifies a definition of "nonmedical exemption" to mean an immunization exemption based upon a religious belief whose teachings are opposed to immunizations or a personal belief that is opposed to immunizations.

The act requires the department of public health and environment (department) to develop standardized forms and a submission process for persons who want to claim a nonmedical exemption for an immunization for a religious or personal belief. A person who wants to claim a nonmedical exemption for an immunization can do so by submitting to the school either:

• A certificate of completion of the online education module; or
• A certificate of nonmedical exemption.

The act requires the department to annually evaluate the state's immunization practices, including an examination of best practices and guidelines recommended by the advisory committee on immunization practices. The state board of health may update the state's immunization practices pursuant to the annual evaluation.

The act creates a vaccinated children standard, whereby the immunization rate goal for every school is 95% of the student population to be vaccinated. The act requires the department to amend an immunization document it currently publishes annually to include information about the vaccinated children standard. Every school shall publish its immunization rate and exemption rate for the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine on the document and annually distribute it to the parents, legal guardians, and students of the school.

The act requires, as applicable, a practitioner who is a licensed physician, physician assistant, advanced practice nurse, or person authorized to administer immunizations within their scope of practice to students to submit immunization, medical, or nonmedical exemption data to the immunization tracking system. The practitioner is not subject to a regulatory sanction for noncompliance.

The act appropriates $41,906 from the general fund to the department of public health and environment for the following uses:

• $31,884 for use by the environmental epidemiology division for program costs and an additional 0.1 FTE; and
• $10,022 for the purchase of information technology services, which is reappropriated to the office of the governor for use by the office of information technology.
  (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)