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PRINTER'S NO. 323
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE BILL
No.
407
Session of
2015
INTRODUCED BY TOMLINSON, GREENLEAF, WARD, SMITH, BREWSTER,
TARTAGLIONE, SCHWANK, HUGHES, COSTA AND RAFFERTY,
FEBRUARY 4, 2015
REFERRED TO PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELFARE, FEBRUARY 4, 2015
AN ACT
Providing for Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices'
recommendations for influenza vaccination in children and for
duties of the Department of Health.
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. Definitions.
The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Department." The Department of Health of the Commonwealth.
Section 3. Recommendations for influenza vaccination in
children.
(a) Duties.--In order to improve this Commonwealth's
childhood immunization rates for influenza and comply with the
recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization
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Practices of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for
influenza vaccination, the department 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 on Immunization Practices.
(2) Increase immunization awareness about injectable and
needle-free delivery methods by publishing on the
department's Internet website information about the benefits
of annual immunization against influenza for all children
recommended by the Advisory Committee on 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 on
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 extent that influenza
vaccinations are available, the department must offer both
injectable and needle-free delivery methods.
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(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
Committee of the House of Representatives and the chairman and
minority chairman of 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 on 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 cost of establishing school-based vaccination
programs for influenza vaccination across this Commonwealth.
Section 4. Effective date.
This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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