HB 1455

1	A bill to be entitled
2	An act relating to childhood immunizations; amending s.
3	1003.22, F.S.; revising the list of required childhood
4	immunizations; creating s. 1003.221, F.S.; providing a set
5	of recommended vaccination requirements that address the
6	manner and frequency of administration of immunizations
7	for children who are entitled to admittance into
8	kindergarten or any other initial entrance into a public
9	or private school in this state; providing an effective
10	date.
11
12	Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
13
14	Section 1.  Subsection (3) of section 1003.22, Florida
15	Statutes, is amended to read:
16	1003.22  School-entry health examinations; immunization
17	against communicable diseases; exemptions; duties of Department
18	of Health.--
19	(3)  The Department of Health may adopt rules necessary to
20	administer and enforce this section. The Department of Health,
21	after consultation with the Department of Education, shall adopt
22	rules governing the immunization of children against, the
23	testing for, and the control of preventable communicable
24	diseases. The rules must include procedures for exempting a
25	child from immunization requirements. Immunizations shall be
26	required for poliomyelitis, diphtheria, measles rubeola,
27	rubella, pertussis, mumps, tetanus, and other communicable
28	diseases as determined by s. 1003.221 and rules of the
29	Department of Health. The manner and frequency of administration
30	of the immunization or testing shall be done according to s.
31	1003.221 conform to recognized standards of medical practice.
32	The Department of Health shall supervise and secure the
33	enforcement of the required immunization. Immunizations required
34	by this section shall be available at no cost from the county
35	health departments.
36	Section 2.  Section 1003.221, Florida Statutes, is created
37	to read:
38	1003.221  Immunization requirements.--
39	(1)  The following table presents a set of recommended
40	vaccination requirements that address the manner and frequency
41	of administration of the immunizations for every child who is
42	entitled to admittance into kindergarten or any other initial
43	entrance into a public or private school in this state.
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45
	Vaccine Dose number Requirements
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47
	Diphtheria-Tetanus-Pertussis or no-Thimerosal Diphtheria-Tetanus      1      6-36 months
48
49
	2      9-39 months
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51
	3      12-42 months
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53
	4      18-45 months
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55
	5      5-7 years
56
57
	Tetanus-Diphtheria      11-12 years
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59
	Measles-Mumps-Rubella or Measles-Rubella or Measles only      1      24-48 months
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61
	Rubella (females only)      2, 1      8-9 years
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63
	Mumps (males only)      2, 1      9-10 years
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65
	Measles 2 10-11 years
66
67
	Polio      1      7-36 months
68
69
	2      10-39 months
70
71
	3      13-45 months
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73
	4      6-10 years
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75
76	(2)  For a child who contracts pertussis at any point
77	during this schedule, a parent or guardian may continue with the
78	diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (DTaP) vaccine or switch to the no-
79	thimerosal diphtheria-tetanus (DT) vaccine. If, after any DTaP
80	shot, the child develops a high fever or displays any
81	neurological signs such as seizures or staring spells, strong
82	consideration should be given to discontinuing all further DTaP
83	vaccines and tetanus-diphtheria-pertussis (Tdap) vaccines and
84	switching to DT and tetanus-diphtheria (Td) vaccines.
85	(3)  In vaccinating his or her child, a parent or guardian,
86	in consultation with his or her pediatrician, may choose between
87	a measles-mumps-rubella combination vaccine, a measles-rubella
88	combination vaccine, or a measles-only vaccine. Because rubella
89	is dangerous to a fetus during pregnancy, only a female who does
90	not contract rubella between 3 years of age and 8 years of age
91	should be given a vaccine for rubella if she has not had rubella
92	by 8 years of age. Similarly, the mumps vaccination need be
93	given only to males who have not had mumps by 10 years of age. A
94	booster for measles vaccine is required only if a blood titer
95	test shows a lack of measles antibodies.
96	(4)  The polio vaccine should not be given with any other
97	vaccine.
98	Section 3.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2009.

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