Senate Bill sb1628
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Florida Senate - 2002 SB 1628
By Senator Pruitt
27-819-02
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to immunizations; requiring
3 certain postsecondary students to be vaccinated
4 against meningococcal disease; providing
5 exemptions; providing that institutions of
6 higher education need not provide or pay for
7 such vaccinations; providing for rulemaking;
8 providing an effective date.
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10 WHEREAS, meningococcal disease is a serious disease
11 that can lead to death within only a few hours of onset, and
12 WHEREAS, meningococcal disease is a highly contagious
13 but largely preventable infection of the spinal cord fluid and
14 the fluid that surrounds the brain, and
15 WHEREAS, 1 in 10 cases of meningococcal disease is
16 fatal, and
17 WHEREAS, one in seven survivors is left with a severe
18 handicap, such as the loss of a limb, mental retardation,
19 paralysis, deafness, and seizures, and
20 WHEREAS, people of any age can carry the disease for
21 days, weeks, or months without knowing it and without becoming
22 ill, and
23 WHEREAS, at any time, around 10 percent to 25 percent
24 of the population are carriers, and
25 WHEREAS, scientific evidence suggests that college
26 students living in dormitory facilities are six times more
27 likely to get the deadly disease of meningitis, and
28 WHEREAS, immunization against meningococcal disease
29 will decrease the risk of the disease, and
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Florida Senate - 2002 SB 1628
27-819-02
1 WHEREAS, the Florida Legislature finds that college
2 freshmen residing in on-campus housing should be vaccinated
3 against meningococcal disease, NOW, THEREFORE,
4
5 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
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7 Section 1. Meningococcal disease; vaccination
8 requirements; exemption.--
9 (1) Any individual enrolled in an institution of
10 higher education who resides in on-campus housing shall be
11 vaccinated against meningococcal disease.
12 (2) An institution of higher education shall provide
13 detailed information on the risks associated with
14 meningococcal disease and the availability and effectiveness
15 of any vaccine to individuals who wish to be exempted from the
16 vaccination requirement. An individual is exempt from the
17 vaccination requirement set forth in subsection (1) if:
18 (a) The individual is 18 years of age or older and he
19 or she signs a waiver in a form adopted by the department, by
20 rule, which states that the individual has received and
21 reviewed the information provided and has chosen not be
22 vaccinated against meningococcal disease; or
23 (b) The individual is a minor and his or her parent or
24 guardian signs a written waiver in a form adopted by the
25 department, by rule, which states that the parent or guardian
26 has received and reviewed the information provided and has
27 chosen to not have the individual vaccinated against
28 meningococcal disease.
29 (3) This section does not require any institution of
30 higher education to provide or pay for vaccinations against
31 meningococcal disease.
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Florida Senate - 2002 SB 1628
27-819-02
1 (4) The Department of Health, in consultation with the
2 Department of Education, shall adopt rules necessary to
3 administer this section.
4 Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2002.
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7 SENATE SUMMARY
8 Requires postsecondary students who reside in on-campus
housing to be vaccinated against meningococcal disease.
9 Provides exemptions. Provides that institutions of higher
education are not required to provide or pay for such
10 vaccinations. Requires the Department of Health, in
consultation with the Department of Education, to adopt
11 implementing rules.
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