2
3
4
5
6
7
8 LONG TITLE
9 General Description:
10 This bill amends provisions related to immunization requirements for students.
11 Highlighted Provisions:
12 This bill:
13 ▸ defines terms;
14 ▸ amends requirements for an exemption from required immunizations;
15 ▸ requires the Department of Health to:
16 • develop an immunization exemption form;
17 • provide an immunization exemption form, free of charge, online and at local
18 health departments;
19 • develop an education module; and
20 • make rules;
21 ▸ requires an individual to receive educational information as a condition for
22 receiving an immunization exemption form online;
23 ▸ enacts renewal requirements for an exemption from required immunizations;
24 ▸ requires a school to maintain a list of students who have not received required
25 immunizations;
26 ▸ amends provisions related to a conditional enrollment; and
27 ▸ makes technical and conforming changes.
28 Money Appropriated in this Bill:
29 None
30 Other Special Clauses:
31 This bill provides a special effective date.
32 Utah Code Sections Affected:
33 AMENDS:
34 26-1-17.5, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2008, Chapter 382
35 53A-11-303, as enacted by Laws of Utah 1988, Chapter 2
36 53A-11-304, as enacted by Laws of Utah 1988, Chapter 2
37 ENACTS:
38 53A-11-300.5, Utah Code Annotated 1953
39 REPEALS AND REENACTS:
40 53A-11-301, as last amended by Laws of Utah 1992, Chapter 53
41 53A-11-302, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2010, Chapter 395
42 53A-11-302.5, as enacted by Laws of Utah 1992, Chapter 129
43 53A-11-306, as enacted by Laws of Utah 1988, Chapter 2
44
45 Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
46 Section 1. Section 26-1-17.5 is amended to read:
47 26-1-17.5. Confidential records.
48 (1) A record classified as confidential under this title shall remain confidential, and be
49 released according to the provisions of this title, notwithstanding Section 63G-2-310.
50 (2) In addition to those persons granted access to [
51 Subsection 63G-2-302(1)(b), immunization records may be shared among schools, school
52 districts, and local and state health departments and the state Department of Human Services as
53 necessary to [
54 3, Immunization of Students, and to prevent, investigate, and control the causes of epidemic,
55 infectious, communicable, and other diseases affecting the public health.
56 Section 2. Section 53A-11-300.5 is enacted to read:
57 53A-11-300.5. Definitions.
58 As used in this part:
59 (1) "Certificate of immunization" means:
60 (a) a certification stating that a student received each required immunization, including
61 the date each immunization was administered, issued by:
62 (i) a licensed health care provider;
63 (ii) an authorized representative of a local health department; or
64 (iii) an authorized representative of the department; or
65 (b) verification from the department, through a central database, that a student has
66 received each required immunization, including the date each immunization was administered.
67 (2) "Department" means the Department of Health, created in Section 26-1-4.
68 (3) "Immunization exemption form" means a form, described in Section 53A-11-302.5,
69 that exempts a student from one or more required immunizations.
70 (4) "Local education agency" or "LEA" means:
71 (a) a school district;
72 (b) a charter school; or
73 (c) the Utah Schools for the Deaf and the Blind.
74 (5) "Required immunizations" means immunizations against communicable diseases
75 required by department rule described in Section 53A-11-303.
76 (6) "School" means:
77 (a) a public school as defined in Section 26-39-102;
78 (b) center-based child care as defined in Section 26-39-102;
79 (c) residential child care, as defined in Section 26-39-102; or
80 (d) a private school that:
81 (i) is not primarily funded at public expense; and
82 (ii) provides education to students in any grade from kindergarten through grade 12.
83 (7) "Student" means an individual who attends a school.
84 Section 3. Section 53A-11-301 is repealed and reenacted to read:
85 53A-11-301. Certificate of immunization required -- Exceptions-- Weighted pupil
86 unit funding.
87 (1) (a) Except as provided in Subsection (1)(b), a student may not attend a school
88 unless there is presented to the appropriate official of the school a certificate of immunization
89 for the student.
90 (b) A student who does not have a certificate of immunization may attend a school if
91 the student:
92 (i) is exempt as described in Section 53A-11-302;
93 (ii) qualifies for conditional enrollment under Section 53A-11-306; or
94 (iii) meets:
95 (A) the definition of a student under Section 53A-1-1001; and
96 (B) the immunization requirements for military children under Section 53A-1-1001.
97 (2) An LEA may not receive weighted pupil unit money for a student unless the
98 student:
99 (a) has a certificate of immunization; or
100 (b) is allowed to attend the LEA without a certificate of immunization as described in
101 Subsection (1)(b).
102 Section 4. Section 53A-11-302 is repealed and reenacted to read:
103 53A-11-302. Exemption from required immunizations.
104 A student is exempt from receiving required immunizations if the student's parent or
105 legal guardian presents to the appropriate official of the student's school:
106 (1) for an exemption for a medical reason:
107 (a) a certificate from a licensed healthcare provider stating that due to the physical
108 condition of the student, a required immunization would endanger the student's life or health;
109 and
110 (b) an immunization exemption form described in Section 53A-11-302.5; or
111 (2) for an exemption for a personal or religious belief, an immunization exemption
112 form described in Section 53A-11-302.5.
113 Section 5. Section 53A-11-302.5 is repealed and reenacted to read:
114 53A-11-302.5. Immunization exemption form -- Online education module --
115 Renewal requirement.
116 (1) The department shall:
117 (a) with input from local health departments, develop an immunization exemption
118 form that:
119 (i) specifies if an exemption is for a medical reason, a personal belief, or a religious
120 belief;
121 (ii) indicates that for a student to receive an exemption from required immunizations,
122 an individual described in Section (1)(a)(v) shall:
123 (A) present an immunization exemption form the first time an exemption is sought;
124 and
125 (B) renew the student's exemption as described in Subsection (4) when the student
126 enters grade 7, and again when the student enters grade 10;
127 (iii) states the department's position regarding the benefits of immunization;
128 (iv) states policies for a student who has not received required immunizations, in the
129 event of an outbreak of a vaccine preventable illness;
130 (v) includes a statement claiming exemption from one or more required
131 immunizations, signed by:
132 (A) a student's parent or legal guardian;
133 (B) for a student who does not have a parent or legal guardian, the student's sibling of
134 legal age; or
135 (C) for a student 18 years of age or older, the student;
136 (vi) includes the name and address of the individual who signs the form;
137 (vii) includes the name of the student claiming exemption from one or more required
138 immunizations; and
139 (viii) includes the name of the school the student attends at the time the form is signed;
140 and
141 (b) make the immunization exemption form available to the public, free of charge:
142 (i) online, for an individual who completes the online education module described in
143 Subsection (2); and
144 (ii) in hard copy at local health departments.
145 (2) (a) The department shall develop an online education module that:
146 (i) is intended to take 20 minutes or less to complete;
147 (ii) includes:
148 (A) information about vaccine preventable illnesses;
149 (B) recommendations to reduce the likelihood of an unvaccinated individual
150 contracting or transmitting a vaccine preventable illness;
151 (C) information, based on the best available science, about vaccine benefits and side
152 effects;
153 (D) interactive questions or activities; and
154 (E) for an individual who completes the module, an immunization exemption form that
155 the individual can present to a school, as described in Subsection (3), to exempt each student
156 the individual intends to exempt from required immunizations; and
157 (iii) that an individual described in Subsection (1)(a)(v) is required to have completed
158 within the previous 5 years of:
159 (A) the first time an immunization exemption form is presented for a student; and
160 (B) renewing the student's exemption from required immunizations as described in
161 Subsection (4).
162 (b) In developing the online education module, the department shall consult with
163 individuals interested in vaccination requirements, including individuals from organizations for
164 healthcare professionals.
165 (3) In order to exempt a student from required immunizations, a student's parent or
166 legal guardian shall present to the student's school an immunization exemption form, which the
167 parent or legal guardian can obtain by:
168 (a) having completed the online education module described in Subsection (2) within
169 the previous 5 years; or
170 (b) going to a local health department in person.
171 (4) (a) A student's exemption from required immunizations is subject to the renewal
172 requirements described in Subsection (4)(b).
173 (b) In order to renew an exemption from required immunizations, when a student with
174 an exemption from required immunizations enters grade 7, and again when the student enters
175 grade 10, an individual described in Subsection (1)(a)(v) shall present to the student's school an
176 immunization exemption form.
177 (c) An LEA may not charge a fee to renew an exemption from required immunizations.
178 (d) An exemption from required immunizations for a student who transfers to or
179 enrolls in a different school may, subject to the renewal requirements described in Subsection
180 (4)(b), be transferred to the student's new school if the student's previous school confirms that
181 the student has an exemption from required immunizations.
182 (5) For a student who has an immunization exemption for the 2016-2017 school year
183 or earlier, an individual described in Subsection (1)(a)(vi) is not required to obtain a new
184 immunization exemption form; and
185 (b) is subject to the renewal requirements described in Subsection (4)(b).
186 (6) Upon request of a local health department, a school shall provide a copy of a
187 student's immunization form to the local health department.
188 Section 6. Section 53A-11-303 is amended to read:
189 53A-11-303. Department of Health regulations.
190 (1) [
191 Administrative Rulemaking Act, the department shall [
192 (a) which immunizations are required [
193 (b) the manner and frequency of [
194 immunizations;
195 (c) the immunization exemption form described in Section 53A-11-302.5;
196 (d) the online education module described in Section 53A-11-302.5; and
197 (e) the requirements for a conditional enrollment described in Section 53A-11-306.
198 (2) The rules [
199 (a) conform to recognized standard medical practices[
200 [
201 (b) require [
202 [
203 the department.
204 Section 7. Section 53A-11-304 is amended to read:
205 53A-11-304. Certificate part of student's record -- Forms for certificates --
206 Recording of immunization record as official certificate -- School record of noncertificate
207 holders.
208 (1) [
209 [
210 permanent school record [
211
212 (2) The [
213
214 immunization form to schools, [
215 [
216
217 [
218
219
220 (3) (a) A school shall record the information [
221 immunization as an official certificate of immunization [
222
223 (b) A school shall verify the information on a certificate of immunization.
224 (4) (a) At the beginning of each school year, a school shall create a list of students who
225 do not have an official certificate of immunization, noting if a student on the list is allowed to
226 attend school without a certificate of immunization, under Section 53A-11-301.
227 (b) A school shall provide the list of students described in Subsection (4)(a) to the
228 principal or other school director each year.
229 (c) A name appearing on the list described in Subsection (4)(a) is subject to
230 confidentiality requirements described in Section 26-1-17.5 and Section 53A-13-301.
231 Section 8. Section 53A-11-306 is repealed and reenacted to read:
232 53A-11-306. Conditional enrollment -- Suspension for noncompliance --
233 Procedure.
234 (1) (a) A student who has not received one or more required immunizations may attend
235 school on a conditional enrollment:
236 (i) if the student has received a dose of each required vaccine, but is not due for the
237 next dose of the vaccine under department rule described in Section 53A-11-303; or
238 (ii) except as provided in Subsection (1)(b), for up to 21 calendar days after the first
239 day of school.
240 (b) A student who enrolls in a school on or after the twenty-second calendar day after
241 the first day of school may attend school on a conditional enrollment for up to 21 calendar days
242 after the day on which the student enrolls in the school.
243 (2) (a) After the conditional enrollment period, a school shall prohibit further
244 attendance of a student who does not comply with Section 53A-11-301.
245 (b) After five days of a student's conditional enrollment, a school shall mail written
246 notice to the student's parent, legal guardian, or, if the student does not have a parent or legal
247 guardian, the student's legal age sibling that:
248 (i) the student will be suspended at the end of the conditional enrollment if the student
249 is not in compliance with Section 53A-11-301; and
250 (ii) describes the process for obtaining the required immunizations or an exemption
251 from the required immunizations.
252 Section 9. Effective date.
253 This bill takes effect on July 1, 2017.