House Bill hb0871

    Florida House of Representatives - 2002                 HB 871

        By Representative Hogan






  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to immunizations; creating s.

  3         381.0421, F.S.; requiring individuals enrolled

  4         in a postsecondary educational institution who

  5         reside in on-campus housing to be vaccinated

  6         against meningococcal meningitis; requiring the

  7         Department of Health, in consultation with the

  8         Department of Education, to establish a

  9         vaccination program and procedures; requiring

10         postsecondary educational institutions to

11         provide certain information to individuals

12         wishing an exemption; providing procedures for

13         exemption; requiring the Department of Health,

14         in consultation with the Department of

15         Education, to adopt rules; providing an

16         effective date.

17

18         WHEREAS, meningococcal meningitis is a serious disease

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

20         WHEREAS, meningococcal meningitis is a highly

21  contagious but largely preventable infection of the spinal

22  cord fluid and the fluid that surrounds the brain, and

23         WHEREAS, one in 10 cases of meningococcal meningitis is

24  fatal, and

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

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

27  paralysis, deafness, or seizures, and

28         WHEREAS, individuals of any age can carry the disease

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

30  ill, and

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    Florida House of Representatives - 2002                 HB 871

    768-117-02






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

  2  population carries meningococcal meningitis, and

  3         WHEREAS, scientific evidence suggests that college

  4  students living in dormitory facilities are six times more

  5  likely than other individuals to contract meningococcal

  6  meningitis, and

  7         WHEREAS, immunization against meningococcal meningitis

  8  will decrease the risk of disease, and

  9         WHEREAS, the Legislature determines that college

10  freshmen residing in on-campus housing should be vaccinated

11  against meningococcal meningitis, NOW, THEREFORE,

12

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

14

15         Section 1.  Section 381.0421, Florida Statutes, is

16  created to read:

17         381.0421  Vaccination against meningococcal

18  meningitis.--

19         (1)  Individuals who are enrolled in a postsecondary

20  educational institution in the state and who reside in

21  on-campus housing shall be required to be vaccinated against

22  meningococcal meningitis. The Department of Health, in

23  consultation with the Department of Education, shall establish

24  a program and procedures for such vaccination.

25         (2)  Each postsecondary educational institution shall

26  provide individuals wishing to be exempted from the

27  vaccination requirement with detailed information on the risks

28  associated with meningococcal meningitis and the availability

29  and effectiveness of vaccination against the disease.

30         (3)  An individual shall be exempted from the

31  meningococcal meningitis vaccination requirement if:

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    Florida House of Representatives - 2002                 HB 871

    768-117-02






  1         (a)  For an individual 18 years of age or older, the

  2  individual signs a waiver, in a form adopted by rule of the

  3  Department of Health, stating that the individual has received

  4  and reviewed the information provided pursuant to subsection

  5  (2) and has chosen not to be vaccinated against meningococcal

  6  meningitis; or

  7         (b)  For an individual under 18 years of age, the

  8  individual's parent or guardian signs a waiver, in a form

  9  adopted by rule of the Department of Health, stating that the

10  parent or guardian has received and reviewed the information

11  provided pursuant to subsection (2) and has chosen to not have

12  the individual vaccinated against meningococcal meningitis.

13         (4)  Nothing in this section shall be construed to

14  require any postsecondary educational institution to provide

15  or pay for vaccinations against meningococcal meningitis.

16         (5)  The Department of Health, in consultation with the

17  Department of Education, shall adopt rules as necessary to

18  implement this section.

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

20

21            *****************************************

22                          HOUSE SUMMARY

23
      Requires individuals enrolled in a postsecondary
24    educational institution in the state who reside in
      on-campus housing to be vaccinated against meningococcal
25    meningitis. Requires the Department of Health, in
      consultation with the Department of Education, to
26    establish a vaccination program and procedures and to
      adopt rules. Requires postsecondary educational
27    institutions to provide certain information to
      individuals wishing an exemption. Requires a signed
28    waiver, on a form adopted by the Department of Health by
      rule, for each individual wishing an exemption.
29

30

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CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.