SB 731
Eliminating hepatitis-b and meningitis as required vaccines
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Sign in to take action- Introduced
- Passed Senate
- Passed House of Delegates
- To Governor
- Became Law
Bill overview
This bill proposes to remove hepatitis-B and meningitis from the list of required vaccines for school children and those attending state-regulated child care centers in West Virginia. Currently, children must be immunized against a range of diseases to attend these facilities. This change is based on updated recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, which no longer include these vaccines in their recommended schedule. The bill also outlines procedures for exemptions and reporting.
Key provisions
- Removes hepatitis-B and meningitis from the list of required vaccines.
- Establishes a process for granting exemptions to immunization requirements based on medical evidence.
- Requires school and child care center personnel to report attempts to enroll unvaccinated children.
- Authorizes the commissioner to appoint an Immunization Officer to review exemption requests.
- Provides for provisional enrollment for children while they complete their vaccinations.
- Offers free vaccines to children whose families cannot afford them through county health departments.
- Defines penalties for providing false immunization certificates.
- Allows for appeals of the Immunization Officer's decisions.
Who is affected
- School children
- Parents and guardians of school children
- State-regulated child care centers
- School personnel
- Healthcare providers
Notable changes
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