House Bill hb0871
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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
31
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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
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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.
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