Connecticut 2020 2020 Regular Session

Connecticut House Bill HB05044 Introduced / Bill

Filed 02/07/2020

                        
 
LCO No. 698  	1 of 16 
 
General Assembly  Raised Bill No. 5044  
February Session, 2020  
LCO No. 698 
 
 
Referred to Committee on PUBLIC HEALTH  
 
 
Introduced by:  
(PH)  
 
 
 
 
AN ACT CONCERNING IM MUNIZATIONS. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General 
Assembly convened: 
 
Section 1. Subsections (a) and (b) of section 10-204a of the general 1 
statutes are repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof 2 
(Effective from passage): 3 
(a) Each local or regional board of education, or similar body 4 
governing a nonpublic school or schools, shall require each child to be 5 
protected by adequate immunization against diphtheria, pertussis, 6 
tetanus, poliomyelitis, measles, mumps, rubella, [hemophilus] 7 
haemophilus influenzae type B and any other vaccine required by the 8 
schedule for active immunization adopted pursuant to section 19a-7f 9 
before being permitted to enroll in any program operated by a public or 10 
nonpublic school under its jurisdiction. Before being permitted to enter 11 
seventh grade, a child shall receive a second immunization against 12 
measles. Any such child who (1) presents a certificate from a physician, 13 
physician assistant, advanced practice registered nurse or local health 14  Raised Bill No.  5044 
 
 
 
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agency stating that initial immunizations have been given to such child 15 
and additional immunizations are in process (A) under guidelines and 16 
schedules specified by the Commissioner of Public Health; or (B) as such 17 
additional immunizations are recommended, in writing on a form 18 
prescribed by the Commissioner of Public Health, for such child by a 19 
physician, physician assistant or advanced practice registered nurse 20 
prior to the first day of regular class sessions for the school year 21 
commencing July 1, 2020, if such child, prior to July 1, 2020, was exempt 22 
from the appropriate provisions of this section upon presentation of a 23 
statement that such immunization would be contrary to the religious 24 
beliefs of such child or the parents or guardian of such child; (2) presents 25 
a certificate, in a form prescribed by the Commissioner of Public Health 26 
pursuant to section 6 of this act, from a physician, physician assistant or 27 
advanced practice registered nurse stating that in the opinion of such 28 
physician, physician assistant or advanced practice registered nurse 29 
such immunization is medically contraindicated because of the physical 30 
condition of such child; [or (3) presents a statement from the parents or 31 
guardian of such child that such immunization would be contrary to the 32 
religious beliefs of such child or the parents or guardian of such child, 33 
which statement shall be acknowledged, in accordance with the 34 
provisions of sections 1-32, 1-34 and 1-35, by (A) a judge of a court of 35 
record or a family support magistrate, (B) a clerk or deputy clerk of a 36 
court having a seal, (C) a town clerk, (D) a notary public, (E) a justice of 37 
the peace, (F) an attorney admitted to the bar of this state, or (G) 38 
notwithstanding any provision of chapter 6, a school nurse; or (4)] (3) in 39 
the case of measles, mumps or rubella, presents a certificate from a 40 
physician, physician assistant or advanced practice registered nurse or 41 
from the director of health in such child's present or previous town of 42 
residence, stating that the child has had a confirmed case of such 43 
disease; [or (5)] (4) in the case of [hemophilus] haemophilus influenzae 44 
type B has passed [his] such child's fifth birthday; or [(6)] (5) in the case 45 
of pertussis, has passed [his] such child's sixth birthday, shall be exempt 46 
from the appropriate provisions of this section. If the parents or 47 
guardians of any child are unable to pay for such immunizations, the 48 
expense of such immunizations shall, on the recommendations of such 49  Raised Bill No.  5044 
 
 
 
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board of education, be paid by the town. [Before being permitted to 50 
enter seventh grade, the parents or guardian of any child who is exempt 51 
on religious grounds from the immunization requirements of this 52 
section, pursuant to subdivision (3) of this subsection, shall present to 53 
such school a statement that such immunization requirements are 54 
contrary to the religious beliefs of such child or the parents or guardian 55 
of such child, which statement shall be acknowledged, in accordance 56 
with the provisions of sections 1-32, 1-34 and 1-35, by (A) a judge of a 57 
court of record or a family support magistrate, (B) a clerk or deputy clerk 58 
of a court having a seal, (C) a town clerk, (D) a notary public, (E) a justice 59 
of the peace, (F) an attorney admitted to the bar of this state, or (G) 60 
notwithstanding any provision of chapter 6, a school nurse.] 61 
(b) The definitions of adequate immunization shall reflect the 62 
schedule for active immunization adopted pursuant to section 19a-7f 63 
and be established by regulation adopted in accordance with the 64 
provisions of chapter 54 by the Commissioner of Public Health, who 65 
shall also be responsible for providing procedures under which [said] 66 
such boards and [said] such similar governing bodies shall collect and 67 
report immunization data on each child to the Department of Public 68 
Health for (1) compilation and analysis by [said] the department, and 69 
(2) release by the department of annual immunization rates for each 70 
public and nonpublic school in the state, provided such immunization 71 
data may not contain information that identifies a specific individual. 72 
Sec. 2. Section 19a-25 of the general statutes is repealed and the 73 
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage):  74 
(a) All information, records of interviews, written reports, statements, 75 
notes, memoranda or other data, including personal data as defined in 76 
subdivision (9) of section 4-190, procured by: [the] (1) The Department 77 
of Public Health, by staff committees of facilities accredited by the 78 
Department of Public Health or the maternity mortality review 79 
committee, established pursuant to section 19a-59i, in connection with 80 
studies of morbidity and mortality conducted by the Department of 81 
Public Health, such staff committees or the maternal mortality review 82  Raised Bill No.  5044 
 
 
 
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committee, or carried on by said department, such staff committees or 83 
the maternal mortality review committee jointly with other persons, 84 
agencies or organizations, [or procured by] (2) the directors of health of 85 
towns, cities or boroughs or the Department of Public Health pursuant 86 
to section 19a-215, or [procured by] (3) such other persons, agencies or 87 
organizations, for the purpose of reducing the morbidity or mortality 88 
from any cause or condition, shall be confidential and shall be used 89 
solely for the purposes of medical or scientific research and, for 90 
information obtained pursuant to section 19a-215, disease prevention 91 
and control by the local director of health and the Department of Public 92 
Health. Such information, records, reports, statements, notes, 93 
memoranda or other data shall not be admissible as evidence in any 94 
action of any kind in any court or before any other tribunal, board, 95 
agency or person, nor shall it be exhibited or its contents disclosed in 96 
any way, in whole or in part, by any officer or representative of the 97 
Department of Public Health or of any such facility, by any person 98 
participating in such a research project or by any other person, except 99 
as may be necessary for the purpose of furthering the research project to 100 
which it relates. 101 
(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of chapter 55, the Department of 102 
Public Health may exchange personal data for the purpose of medical 103 
or scientific research, with any other governmental agency or private 104 
research organization; provided such state, governmental agency or 105 
private research organization shall not further disclose such personal 106 
data. The Commissioner of Public Health shall adopt regulations, in 107 
accordance with the provisions of chapter 54, consistent with the 108 
purposes of this section to establish the procedures to ensure the 109 
confidentiality of such disclosures. The furnishing of such information 110 
to the Department of Public Health or its authorized representative, or 111 
to any other agency cooperating in such a research project, shall not 112 
subject any person, hospital, [sanitarium] behavioral health facility, rest 113 
home, nursing home or other person or agency furnishing such 114 
information to any action for damages or other relief because of such 115 
disclosure. [This section shall not be deemed to affect disclosure] 116  Raised Bill No.  5044 
 
 
 
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(c) The provisions of this section shall not affect: (1) Disclosure of 117 
regular hospital and medical records made in the course of the regular 118 
notation of the care and treatment of any patient, but only records or 119 
notations by [such] the staff committees described in subsection (a) of 120 
this section pursuant to their work, or (2) release by the Department of 121 
Public Health of annual immunization rates for each public and 122 
nonpublic school in the state pursuant to section 10-204a, as amended 123 
by this act. 124 
Sec. 3. Section 10a-155 of the general statutes is repealed and the 125 
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage): 126 
(a) Each institution of higher education shall require each full-time or 127 
matriculating student born after December 31, 1956, to provide proof of 128 
adequate immunization against measles, rubella, [and on and after 129 
August 1, 2010, to provide proof of adequate immunization against] 130 
mumps and varicella as recommended by the national Advisory 131 
Committee for Immunization Practices before permitting such student 132 
to enroll in such institution. [Any such] 133 
(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a) of this section, 134 
any student who (1) presents a certificate, in a form prescribed by the 135 
Commissioner of Public Health pursuant to section 6 of this act, from a 136 
physician or an advanced practice registered nurse stating that in the 137 
opinion of such physician or advanced practice registered nurse such 138 
immunization is medically contraindicated, [(2) provides a statement 139 
that such immunization would be contrary to his religious beliefs, (3)] 140 
(2) presents a certificate from a physician, an advanced practice 141 
registered nurse or the director of health in the student's present or 142 
previous town of residence, stating that the student has had a confirmed 143 
case of such disease, [(4)] (3) is enrolled exclusively in a program for 144 
which students do not congregate on campus for classes or to participate 145 
in institutional-sponsored events, such as students enrolled in distance 146 
learning programs for individualized home study or programs 147 
conducted entirely through electronic media in a setting without other 148 
students present, [or (5)] (4) graduated from a public or nonpublic high 149  Raised Bill No.  5044 
 
 
 
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school in this state in 1999 or later and was not exempt from the measles, 150 
rubella, [and on and after August 1, 2010, the] mumps and varicella 151 
vaccination requirement pursuant to subdivision (2) [or (3)] of 152 
subsection (a) of section 10-204a, as amended by this act, or (5) prior to 153 
July 1, 2020, was exempt from the appropriate provisions of this section 154 
upon presentation of a statement that such immunization would be 155 
contrary to his or her religious beliefs and, prior to the first day of the 156 
fall semester of 2020, presents a certificate, in a form prescribed by the 157 
Commissioner of Public Health, from a physician or advanced practice 158 
registered nurse stating that an immunization against measles, rubella, 159 
mumps and varicella has been given to the student and that any 160 
additional necessary immunizations of the student against measles, 161 
rubella, mumps and varicella are in process under guidelines specified 162 
by the Commissioner of Public Health or as recommended for the 163 
student by the physician or advanced practice registered nurse, shall be 164 
exempt from the appropriate provisions of this section. 165 
[(b)] (c) Each institution of higher education shall keep uniform 166 
records of the immunizations and immunization status of each student, 167 
based on the certificate of immunization or other evidence acceptable 168 
pursuant to subsection (a) of this section. The record shall be part of the 169 
student's permanent record. By November first of each year, the chief 170 
administrative officer of each institution of higher education shall cause 171 
to be submitted to the Commissioner of Public Health, on a form 172 
provided by the commissioner, a summary report of the immunization 173 
status of all students enrolling in such institution. 174 
Sec. 4. Subsection (a) of section 10a-155b of the general statutes is 175 
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from 176 
passage): 177 
(a) For students who first enroll in the 2014-2015 school year, and first 178 
enroll in each school year thereafter, each public or private college or 179 
university in this state shall require that each student who resides in on-180 
campus housing be vaccinated against meningitis and submit evidence 181 
of having received a meningococcal conjugate vaccine not more than 182  Raised Bill No.  5044 
 
 
 
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five years before enrollment as a condition of such residence. The 183 
provisions of this subsection shall not apply to any such student who (1) 184 
presents a certificate, in a form prescribed by the Commissioner of 185 
Public Health pursuant to section 6 of this act, from a physician, an 186 
advanced practice registered nurse or a physician assistant stating that, 187 
in the opinion of such physician, advanced practice registered nurse or 188 
physician assistant, such vaccination is medically contraindicated 189 
because of the physical condition of such student, or (2) [presents a 190 
statement that such vaccination would be contrary to the religious 191 
beliefs of such student] prior to July 1, 2020, was exempt from the 192 
provisions of this subsection upon presentation of a statement that such 193 
vaccination would be contrary to the religious beliefs of such student 194 
and, prior to the first day of the fall semester of 2020, presents a 195 
certificate, in a form prescribed by the Commissioner of Public Health, 196 
from a physician, an advanced practice registered nurse or a physician 197 
assistant stating that a meningococcal conjugate vaccine has been given 198 
to such student and that any additional necessary vaccinations of the 199 
student against meningitis are in process under guidelines specified by 200 
the Commissioner of Public Health or as recommended for the student 201 
by the physician, advanced practice registered nurse or a physician 202 
assistant. 203 
Sec. 5. Section 19a-79 of the 2020 supplement to the general statutes 204 
is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from 205 
passage): 206 
(a) The Commissioner of Early Childhood shall adopt regulations, in 207 
accordance with the provisions of chapter 54, to carry out the purposes 208 
of sections 19a-77 to 19a-80, inclusive, and 19a-82 to 19a-87, inclusive, 209 
and to assure that child care centers and group child care homes meet 210 
the health, educational and social needs of children utilizing such child 211 
care centers and group child care homes. Such regulations shall (1) 212 
specify that before being permitted to attend any child care center or 213 
group child care home, each child shall be protected as age-appropriate 214 
by adequate immunization against diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, 215 
poliomyelitis, measles, mumps, rubella, [hemophilus] haemophilus 216  Raised Bill No.  5044 
 
 
 
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influenzae type B and any other vaccine required by the schedule of 217 
active immunization adopted pursuant to section 19a-7f, [including 218 
appropriate exemptions for children for whom such immunization is 219 
medically contraindicated and for children whose parent or guardian 220 
objects to such immunization on religious grounds, and that any 221 
objection by a parent or a guardian to immunization of a child on 222 
religious grounds shall be accompanied by a statement from such parent 223 
or guardian that such immunization would be contrary to the religious 224 
beliefs of such child or the parent or guardian of such child, which 225 
statement shall be acknowledged, in accordance with the provisions of 226 
sections 1-32, 1-34 and 1-35, by (A) a judge of a court of record or a family 227 
support magistrate, (B) a clerk or deputy clerk of a court having a seal, 228 
(C) a town clerk, (D) a notary public, (E) a justice of the peace, or (F) an 229 
attorney admitted to the bar of this state,] (2) specify conditions under 230 
which child care center directors and teachers and group child care 231 
home providers may administer tests to monitor glucose levels in a child 232 
with diagnosed diabetes mellitus, and administer medicinal 233 
preparations, including controlled drugs specified in the regulations by 234 
the commissioner, to a child receiving child care services at such child 235 
care center or group child care home pursuant to the written order of a 236 
physician licensed to practice medicine or a dentist licensed to practice 237 
dental medicine in this or another state, or an advanced practice 238 
registered nurse licensed to prescribe in accordance with section 20-94a, 239 
or a physician assistant licensed to prescribe in accordance with section 240 
20-12d, and the written authorization of a parent or guardian of such 241 
child, (3) specify that an operator of a child care center or group child 242 
care home, licensed before January 1, 1986, or an operator who receives 243 
a license after January 1, 1986, for a facility licensed prior to January 1, 244 
1986, shall provide a minimum of thirty square feet per child of total 245 
indoor usable space, free of furniture except that needed for the 246 
children's purposes, exclusive of toilet rooms, bathrooms, coatrooms, 247 
kitchens, halls, isolation room or other rooms used for purposes other 248 
than the activities of the children, (4) specify that a child care center or 249 
group child care home licensed after January 1, 1986, shall provide 250 
thirty-five square feet per child of total indoor usable space, (5) establish 251  Raised Bill No.  5044 
 
 
 
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appropriate child care center staffing requirements for employees 252 
certified in cardiopulmonary resuscitation by the American Red Cross, 253 
the American Heart Association, the National Safety Council, American 254 
Safety and Health Institute, Medic First Aid International, Inc. or an 255 
organization using guidelines for cardiopulmonary resuscitation and 256 
emergency cardiovascular care published by the American Heart 257 
Association and International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation, (6) 258 
specify that [on and after January 1, 2003,] a child care center or group 259 
child care home (A) shall not deny services to a child on the basis of a 260 
child's known or suspected allergy or because a child has a prescription 261 
for an automatic prefilled cartridge injector or similar automatic 262 
injectable equipment used to treat an allergic reaction, or for injectable 263 
equipment used to administer glucagon, (B) shall, not later than three 264 
weeks after such child's enrollment in such a center or home, have staff 265 
trained in the use of such equipment on-site during all hours when such 266 
a child is on-site, (C) shall require such child's parent or guardian to 267 
provide the injector or injectable equipment and a copy of the 268 
prescription for such medication and injector or injectable equipment 269 
upon enrollment of such child, and (D) shall require a parent or 270 
guardian enrolling such a child to replace such medication and 271 
equipment prior to its expiration date, (7) specify that [on and after 272 
January 1, 2005,] a child care center or group child care home (A) shall 273 
not deny services to a child on the basis of a child's diagnosis of asthma 274 
or because a child has a prescription for an inhalant medication to treat 275 
asthma, and (B) shall, not later than three weeks after such child's 276 
enrollment in such a center or home, have staff trained in the 277 
administration of such medication on-site during all hours when such a 278 
child is on-site, and (8) establish physical plant requirements for 279 
licensed child care centers and licensed group child care homes that 280 
exclusively serve school-age children. When establishing such 281 
requirements, the Office of Early Childhood shall give consideration to 282 
child care centers and group child care homes that are located in private 283 
or public school buildings. With respect to this subdivision only, the 284 
commissioner shall implement policies and procedures necessary to 285 
implement the physical plant requirements established pursuant to this 286  Raised Bill No.  5044 
 
 
 
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subdivision while in the process of adopting such policies and 287 
procedures in regulation form. Until replaced by policies and 288 
procedures implemented pursuant to this subdivision, any physical 289 
plant requirement specified in the office's regulations that is generally 290 
applicable to child care centers and group child care homes shall 291 
continue to be applicable to such centers and homes that exclusively 292 
serve school-age children. The commissioner shall print notice of the 293 
intent to adopt regulations pursuant to this subdivision on the 294 
eRegulations System not later than twenty days after the date of 295 
implementation of such policies and procedures. Policies and 296 
procedures implemented pursuant to this subdivision shall be valid 297 
until the time final regulations are adopted. 298 
(b) Any child who (1) presents a certificate, in a form prescribed by 299 
the Commissioner of Public Health pursuant to section 6 of this act, 300 
signed by a physician, physician assistant or advanced practice 301 
registered nurse stating that, in the opinion of such physician, physician 302 
assistant or advanced practice registered nurse, the immunizations 303 
required pursuant to regulations adopted pursuant to subdivision (1) of 304 
subsection (a) of this section are medically contraindicated, or (2) prior 305 
to July 1, 2020, was exempt from the immunization requirements set 306 
forth in such regulations upon presentation of a statement that such 307 
immunizations would be contrary to the religious beliefs of such child 308 
or the parents or guardians of such child and, on or before September 1, 309 
2020, presents a certificate, in a form prescribed by the Commissioner of 310 
Public Health, from a physician, physician assistant or advanced 311 
practice registered nurse stating that an immunization against 312 
diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, poliomyelitis, measles, mumps, rubella, 313 
haemophilus influenzae type B and any other vaccine required by the 314 
schedule of active immunization adopted pursuant to section 19a-7f has 315 
been given to such child and that any additional neces sary 316 
immunizations of such student against diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, 317 
poliomyelitis, measles, mumps, rubella, haemophilus influenzae type B 318 
and any other vaccine required by such schedule of active immunization 319 
are in process under guidelines specified by the Commissioner of Public 320  Raised Bill No.  5044 
 
 
 
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Health or as recommended for the child by the physician, physician 321 
assistant or advanced practice registered nurse, shall be exempt from 322 
the immunization requirements set forth in such regulations. 323 
[(b)] (c) The commissioner may adopt regulations, pursuant to 324 
chapter 54, to establish civil penalties of not more than one hundred 325 
dollars per day for each day of violation and other disciplinary remedies 326 
that may be imposed, following a contested-case hearing, upon the 327 
holder of a license issued under section 19a-80 to operate a child care 328 
center or group child care home or upon the holder of a license issued 329 
under section 19a-87b to operate a family child care home. 330 
[(c)] (d) The commissioner shall exempt Montessori schools 331 
accredited by the American Montessori Society or the Association 332 
Montessori Internationale from any provision in regulations adopted 333 
pursuant to subsection (a) of this section which sets requirements on 334 
group size or child to staff ratios or the provision of cots. 335 
[(d)] (e) Upon the declaration by the Governor of a civil preparedness 336 
emergency pursuant to section 28-9 or a public health emergency 337 
pursuant to section 19a-131a, the commissioner may waive the 338 
provisions of any regulation adopted pursuant to this section if the 339 
commissioner determines that such waiver would not endanger the life, 340 
safety or health of any child. The commissioner shall prescribe the 341 
duration of such waiver, provided such waiver shall not extend beyond 342 
the duration of the declared emergency. The commissioner shall 343 
establish the criteria by which a waiver request shall be made and the 344 
conditions for which a waiver will be granted or denied. The provisions 345 
of section 19a-84 shall not apply to a denial of a waiver request under 346 
this subsection.  347 
[(e)] (f) Any child care center or group child care home may provide 348 
child care services to homeless children and youths, as defined in 42 349 
USC 11434a, as amended from time to time, for a period not to exceed 350 
ninety days without complying with any provision in regulations 351 
adopted pursuant to this section relating to immunization and physical 352  Raised Bill No.  5044 
 
 
 
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examination requirements. Any child care center or group child care 353 
home that provides child care services to homeless children and youths 354 
at such center or home under this subsection shall maintain a record on 355 
file of all homeless children and youths who have attended such center 356 
or home for a period of two years after such homeless children or youths 357 
are no longer receiving child care services at such center or home. 358 
[(f)] (g) Any child care center or group child care home may provide 359 
child care services to a foster child for a period not to exceed forty-five 360 
days without complying with any provision in regulations adopted 361 
pursuant to this section relating to immunization and physical 362 
examination requirements. Any child care center or group child care 363 
home that provides child care services to a foster child at such center or 364 
home under this subsection shall maintain a record on file of such foster 365 
child for a period of two years after such foster child is no longer 366 
receiving child care services at such center or home. For purposes of this 367 
subsection, "foster child" means a child who is in the care and custody 368 
of the Commissioner of Children and Families and placed in a foster 369 
home licensed pursuant to section 17a-114, foster home approved by a 370 
child-placing agency licensed pursuant to section 17a-149, facility 371 
licensed pursuant to section 17a-145 or with a relative or fictive kin 372 
caregiver pursuant to section 17a-114.  373 
Sec. 6. (Effective from passage) On or before October 1, 2020, the 374 
Commissioner of Public Health shall develop and make available on the 375 
Internet web site of the Department of Public Health a certificate for use 376 
by a physician, physician assistant or advanced practice registered 377 
nurse stating that, in the opinion of such physician, physician assistant 378 
or advanced practice registered nurse, a vaccination required by the 379 
general statutes is medically contraindicated for a person because of the 380 
physical condition of such person. The certificate shall include (1) 381 
definitions of the terms "contraindication" and "precaution", (2) a list of 382 
contraindications and precautions recognized by the National Centers 383 
for Disease Control and Prevention for each of the statutorily required 384 
vaccinations, from which the physician, physician assistant or advanced 385 
practice registered nurse may select the relevant contraindication or 386  Raised Bill No.  5044 
 
 
 
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precaution on behalf of such person, (3) a section in which the physician, 387 
physician assistant or advanced practice registered nurse may record a 388 
contraindication or precaution that is not recognized by the National 389 
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, but in his or her discretion, 390 
results in the vaccination being medically contraindicated, (4) a section 391 
in which the physician, physician assistant or advanced practice 392 
registered nurse may include a written explanation for the exemption 393 
from any statutorily required vaccinations, (5) a section requiring the 394 
signature of the physician, physician assistant or advanced practice 395 
registered nurse, (6) a requirement that the physician, physician 396 
assistant or advanced practice registered nurse attach such person's 397 
most current immunization record, and (7) a synopsis of the grounds for 398 
any order of quarantine or isolation pursuant to section 19a-131b of the 399 
general statutes. 400 
Sec. 7. (NEW) (Effective from passage) (a) There is established an 401 
Advisory Committee on Medically Contraindicated Vaccinations within 402 
the Department of Public Health for the purpose of advising the 403 
Commissioner of Public Health on issues concerning exemptions from 404 
state or federal requirements for vaccinations that result from a 405 
physician, physician assistant or advanced practice registered nurse 406 
stating that a vaccination is medically contraindicated for a person due 407 
to the medical condition of such person. For the purpose of performing 408 
its function, the advisory committee shall (1) have access to the 409 
childhood immunization registry established by the department 410 
pursuant to section 19a-7h of the general statutes, (2) evaluate the 411 
process used by the Department of Public Health in collecting data 412 
concerning exemptions resulting from a vaccination being medically 413 
contraindicated and whether the department should have any oversight 414 
over such exemptions, (3) examine whether enrollment of an 415 
unvaccinated child into a program operated by a public or nonpublic 416 
school, institution of higher education, child care center or group child 417 
care home should be conditioned upon the child meeting certain 418 
criteria, (4) calculate the ratio of school nurses to students in each public 419 
and nonpublic school in the state and the funding issues surrounding 420  Raised Bill No.  5044 
 
 
 
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such ratio, (5) assess whether immunizations should be required more 421 
frequently than prior to enrollment into a program operated by a public 422 
or nonpublic school and prior to entering seventh grade, and (6) 423 
determine whether (A) there are any discrepancies in the issuance of 424 
certificates stating that a vaccine is medically contraindicated, and (B) to 425 
recommend continuing education of physicians, physician assistants or 426 
advanced practice registered nurses in vaccine contraindications and 427 
precautions. All information obtained by the advisory committee from 428 
such registry shall be confidential pursuant to section 19a-25 of the 429 
general statutes, as amended by this act. 430 
(b) The advisory committee shall consist of the following members: 431 
(1) Two appointed by the speaker of the House of Representatives, 432 
one of whom shall be a physician licensed pursuant to chapter 370 of the 433 
general statutes who is a pediatrician, and one of whom shall be a 434 
member of the public; 435 
(2) Two appointed by the president pro tempore of the Senate, one of 436 
whom shall be a physician licensed pursuant to chapter 370 of the 437 
general statutes who has expertise in the efficacy of vaccines, and one of 438 
whom shall be a member of the public; 439 
(3) One appointed by the majority leader of the House of 440 
Representatives, who shall be a school nurse; 441 
(4) One appointed by the majority leader of the Senate, who shall be 442 
a physician assistant licensed pursuant to chapter 370 of the general 443 
statutes who has experience in the administration of vaccines; 444 
(5) One appointed by the minority leader of the House of 445 
Representatives, who shall be an advanced practice registered nurse 446 
licensed pursuant to chapter 378 of the general statutes who has 447 
experience in the administration of vaccines; 448 
(6) One appointed by the minority leader of the Senate, who shall be 449 
a representative of the Connecticut Chapter of the American Academy 450  Raised Bill No.  5044 
 
 
 
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of Pediatrics; 451 
(7) The Commissioner of Public Health, or the commissioner's 452 
designee; and 453 
(8) The Commissioner of Education, or the commissioner's designee. 454 
(c) The advisory committee shall meet not less than biannually. On or 455 
before January 1, 2021, and annually thereafter, the committee shall 456 
report, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a of the general 457 
statutes, on its activities and findings to the joint standing committee of 458 
the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to public 459 
health. 460 
Sec. 8. Subsection (f) of section 19a-87b of the 2020 supplement to the 461 
general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu 462 
thereof (Effective from passage): 463 
(f) The commissioner shall adopt regulations, in accordance with the 464 
provisions of chapter 54, to assure that family child care homes, as 465 
defined in section 19a-77, meet the health, educational and social needs 466 
of children utilizing such homes. Such regulations shall ensure that the 467 
family child care home is treated as a residence, and not an institutional 468 
facility. Such regulations shall specify that each child be protected as 469 
age-appropriate by adequate immunization against diphtheria, 470 
pertussis, tetanus, poliomyelitis, measles, mumps, rubella, 471 
[hemophilus] haemophilus influenzae type B and any other vaccine 472 
required by the schedule of active immunization adopted pursuant to 473 
section 19a-7f. Such regulations shall provide appropriate exemptions 474 
for children for whom such immunization is medically contraindicated 475 
and for children whose parents or guardian objects to such 476 
immunization on religious grounds and require that any such objection 477 
be accompanied by a statement from such parents or guardian that such 478 
immunization would be contrary to the religious beliefs of such child or 479 
the parents or guardian of such child, which statement shall be 480 
acknowledged, in accordance with the provisions of sections 1-32, 1-34 481 
and 1-35, by (1) a judge of a court of record or a family support 482  Raised Bill No.  5044 
 
 
 
LCO No. 698   	16 of 16 
 
magistrate, (2) a clerk or deputy clerk of a court having a seal, (3) a town 483 
clerk, (4) a notary public, (5) a justice of the peace, or (6) an attorney 484 
admitted to the bar of this state. Such regulations shall also specify 485 
conditions under which family child care home providers may 486 
administer tests to monitor glucose levels in a child with diagnosed 487 
diabetes mellitus, and administer medicinal preparations, including 488 
controlled drugs specified in the regulations by the commissioner, to a 489 
child receiving child care services at a family child care home pursuant 490 
to a written order of a physician licensed to practice medicine in this or 491 
another state, an advanced practice registered nurse licensed to 492 
prescribe in accordance with section 20-94a or a physician assistant 493 
licensed to prescribe in accordance with section 20-12d, and the written 494 
authorization of a parent or guardian of such child. Such regulations 495 
shall specify appropriate standards for extended care and intermittent 496 
short-term overnight care. The commissioner shall inform each licensee, 497 
by way of a plain language summary provided not later than sixty days 498 
after the regulation's effective date, of any new or changed regulations 499 
adopted under this subsection with which a licensee must comply. 500 
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following 
sections: 
 
Section 1 from passage 10-204a(a) and (b) 
Sec. 2 from passage 19a-25 
Sec. 3 from passage 10a-155 
Sec. 4 from passage 10a-155b(a) 
Sec. 5 from passage 19a-79 
Sec. 6 from passage New section 
Sec. 7 from passage New section 
Sec. 8 from passage 19a-87b(f) 
 
Statement of Purpose:   
To protect the public health by ensuring adequate and appropriate 
immunizations of children. 
[Proposed deletions are enclosed in brackets. Proposed additions are indicated by underline, except 
that when the entire text of a bill or resolution or a section of a bill or resolution is new, it is not 
underlined.]