Senate Bill sb1628c1

    Florida Senate - 2002                           CS for SB 1628

    By the Committee on Health, Aging and Long-Term Care; and
    Senator Pruitt




    317-1938A-02

  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to immunizations; creating s.

  3         381.0421, F.S.; requiring that individuals

  4         enrolled in a postsecondary educational

  5         institution be provided information regarding

  6         meningococcal meningitis, diphtheria, tetanus,

  7         and hepatitis B vaccines and, if residing in

  8         on-campus housing, provide documentation of

  9         vaccination against meningococcal meningitis,

10         diphtheria, tetanus, and hepatitis B, or a

11         statement declining such vaccination; providing

12         an effective date.

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14         WHEREAS, meningococcal meningitis is a serious disease

15  that can lead to death within a few hours of onset, and

16         WHEREAS, meningococcal meningitis is a highly

17  contagious but largely preventable infection of the

18  spinal-cord fluid and the fluid that surrounds the brain, and

19         WHEREAS, one in ten cases of meningococcal meningitis

20  is fatal, and

21         WHEREAS, one in seven survivors is left with a severe

22  handicap, such as loss of a limb, mental retardation,

23  paralysis, deafness, or seizures, and

24         WHEREAS, individuals of any age can carry the disease

25  for days, weeks, or months unknowingly or without becoming

26  ill, and

27         WHEREAS, at any time, from 10 to 25 percent of the

28  population carries meningococcal meningitis, and

29         WHEREAS, scientific evidence suggests that college

30  students living in dormitory facilities are six times more

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    Florida Senate - 2002                           CS for SB 1628
    317-1938A-02




  1  likely than other individuals to contract meningococcal

  2  meningitis, and

  3         WHEREAS, immunization against meningococcal meningitis

  4  will decrease the risk of disease, and

  5         WHEREAS, the Legislature urges that college freshmen

  6  residing in on-campus housing be vaccinated against

  7  meningococcal meningitis, NOW, THEREFORE,

  8

  9  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

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11         Section 1.  Section 381.0421, Florida Statutes, is

12  created to read:

13         381.0421  Vaccination against meningococcal meningitis,

14  diphtheria, tetanus, and hepatitis B.--

15         (1)  A postsecondary educational institution shall

16  provide detailed information concerning the risks associated

17  with meningococcal meningitis, diphtheria, tetanus, and

18  hepatitis B and the availability, effectiveness, and known

19  contraindications of any required or recommended vaccine to

20  every student, or to the student's parent or guardian if the

21  student is a minor, who has been accepted for admission.

22         (2)  An individual enrolled in a postsecondary

23  educational institution who will be residing in on-campus

24  housing shall provide documentation of vaccinations against

25  meningococcal meningitis, diphtheria, tetanus, and hepatitis B

26  unless the individual, if the individual is 18 years of age or

27  older, or the individual's parent or guardian, if the

28  individual is a minor, declines the vaccinations and the

29  individual, parent, or guardian signs a waiver, provided by

30  the institution, acknowledging receipt and review of the

31  information provided.

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    Florida Senate - 2002                           CS for SB 1628
    317-1938A-02




  1         (3)  This section does not require any postsecondary

  2  educational institution to provide or pay for vaccinations

  3  against meningococcal meningitis, diphtheria, tetanus, and

  4  hepatitis B.

  5         Section 2.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2002.

  6

  7          STATEMENT OF SUBSTANTIAL CHANGES CONTAINED IN
                       COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR
  8                             SB 1628

  9

10  The Committee Substitute does not require immunization against
    meningitis for postsecondary students who live on campus, but
11  rather requires the institutions to inform them of the risks
    of the disease and the benefits and risks associated with the
12  vaccine. In addition, the institutions must inform the
    students of the risks of diphtheria, tetanus, and hepatitis B
13  and the benefits and risks associated with the vaccines for
    those diseases. A student is required to show proof of
14  vaccination for these diseases or to sign a waiver. The parent
    of a minor student would sign the waiver.
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    The Department of Health is not required to adopt rules.
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