THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

SENATE BILL

INTRODUCED BY TOMLINSON, ALLOWAY, FONTANA, TARTAGLIONE, FARNESE, BOSCOLA, WARD, MUSTO, WASHINGTON, RAFFERTY, FERLO, GREENLEAF AND MENSCH, DECEMBER 23, 2009

SENATOR VANCE, PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELFARE, AS AMENDED, JUNE 22, 2010   

AN ACT

Providing for Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices

recommendations for influenza vaccination in children.

The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

hereby enacts as follows:

Section 1.  Short title.

This act shall be known and may be cited as the Immunization

Practices Act.

Section 2.  Recommendations for influenza vaccination in

children.

(a)  Duties.--In order to improve the Commonwealth's

childhood immunization rates for influenza and comply with the

recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization

Practices of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for

influenza vaccination, the Department of Health shall do all of

the following:

(1)  Review and enhance current immunization activities

to focus on vaccination of all children ages six months to 18

years of age who are recommended for an influenza vaccination

by the Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices.

(2)  Increase immunization awareness about traditional

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shots injectable and needle-free delivery methods by

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publishing on the department's Internet website information

about the benefits of annual immunization against influenza

for all children recommended by the Advisory Committee for

Immunization Practices.

(3)  Work with appropriate State agencies and licensed

child-care facilities to ensure that the information on the

benefits of annual immunization against influenza for

children ages six months to 18 years of age is annually

distributed to parents in August before influenza season

begins.

(4)  Work with health care professionals and public

health organizations to develop plans for expanding outreach

and opportunities to achieve the Advisory Committee for

Immunization Practices recommended target vaccination of all

children aged six months to 18 years of age.

(5)  Examine the use of schools and alternative venues to

administer influenza vaccine to children in a timely manner.

(b)  Programs.--The department may offer school-based

influenza vaccine programs. To the degree that products are

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available through Federal vaccine programs and State-funded

programs, the department shall offer a variety of delivery

methods, including traditional shots and needle-free delivery

methods extent that influenza vaccinations are available, the

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department shall offer both injectable and needle-free delivery

methods.

(c)  Report.--The department shall annually, on or before May

1, submit a written report on all school-based vaccination

programs administered or funded by the department. Its findings

and recommendations shall be submitted to the chairman and

minority chairman of the Public Health and Welfare Committee of

the Senate and the chairman and minority chairman of the Health

and Human Services Committee and the Children and Youth

Committee of the House of Representatives. The report shall

include an assessment of all of the following:

(1)  the benefits of establishing school-based influenza

vaccination programs for the purpose of achieving the

Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices recommendation

for annual influenza vaccination of all children aged six

months to 18 years of age;

(2)  the rate of participation for students offered both

shots and needle-free vaccine delivery methods;

(3)  the school and community influenza infection rates

following the school-based influenza vaccination program;

(4)  the school-based influenza vaccination program's

impact on student absenteeism rates; and

(5)  the feasibility cost of establishing school-based

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vaccination programs for seasonal influenza vaccination

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across this Commonwealth.

Section 3.  Effective date.

This act shall take effect in 60 days.