Health: immunizations; hepatitis B vaccinations for children; prohibit department from requiring under certain circumstances. Amends sec. 9227 of 1978 PA 368 (MCL 333.9227). TIE BAR WITH: HB 4078'23
Impact
A significant feature of HB 4079 is that it prohibits the Department from enforcing rules that require children to receive the hepatitis B vaccine before specified conditions are met. Specifically, the bill states that no child should be mandated to receive this vaccine until their parent or guardian has received the results of a relevant genetic test concerning the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene variant, or if they opt out, at least 31 days post-birth. This provision is meant to address parental concerns about genetic testing related to vaccination requirements.
Summary
House Bill 4079 proposes amendments to the Public Health Code of Michigan, specifically focusing on vaccination regulations for children. The bill allows the Department of Health to establish rules related to age requirements for immunizations, including commencement ages, number of required doses, and minimum immunization levels for schoolchildren. Moreover, it mandates the expansion of health registries to include additional information, such as records of lead screenings performed on children, enhancing the state's ability to monitor public health outcomes.
Conclusion
Overall, HB 4079 aims to refine the state's vaccination process and incorporate new health metrics while ensuring that parental rights regarding their children's health decisions are respected. The bill's provisions illustrate an ongoing discussion in public health policy about balancing collective health responsibilities with individual freedoms, a theme that resonates in many legislative contexts today.
Contention
The bill has drawn attention and debate regarding the balance between public health initiatives and individual parental rights. Advocates supporting HB 4079 argue that it provides necessary safeguards for parents and promotes informed consent regarding childhood vaccinations. However, critics express concerns that delaying such vaccinations could have adverse effects on public health, particularly in mitigating the spread of diseases that the hepatitis B vaccination would typically help control.
Same As
Health: screening; gene screening for MTHFR for newborns; require, and require department to provide certain notices. Amends sec. 5431 of 1978 PA 368 (MCL 333.5431) & adds sec. 5431a. TIE BAR WITH: HB 4049'23
Health: immunizations; grade requirement for certain immunization records; modify in the public health code and require department to adopt the immunization schedule recommended by the federal centers for disease control and prevention. Amends secs. 9208 & 9227 of 1978 PA 368 (MCL 333.9208 & 333.9227). TIE BAR WITH: SB 0877'24, SB 0876'24
Health: immunizations; promulgation of certain rules and regulations that are more stringent than the vaccination exemptions provided in statute and that exclude individuals from school as a disease control measure; prohibit. Amends secs. 9215 & 9227 of 1978 PA 368 (MCL 333.9215 & 333.9227) & adds sec. 5115a. TIE BAR WITH: HB 4553'25
Health: immunizations; access to the Michigan care improvement registry; restrict and expand the registry to include the reporting of adverse events resulting from immunizing agents. Amends secs. 9206 & 9227 of 1978 PA 368 (MCL 333.9206 & 333.9227).
Health: immunizations; access to the Michigan care improvement registry; restrict and expand the registry to include the reporting of adverse events resulting from immunizing agents. Amends secs. 9206 & 9227 of 1978 PA 368 (MCL 333.9206 & 333.9227).
Health: screening; gene screening for MTHFR for newborns; require, and require department to provide certain notices. Amends sec. 5431 of 1978 PA 368 (MCL 333.5431) & adds sec. 5431a. TIE BAR WITH: HB 4049'23
Health: screening; certificate of immunization; require department of health and human services to update to indicate whether minor has been tested for lead poisoning. Amends sec. 9206 of 1978 PA 368 (MCL 333.9206). TIE BAR WITH: SB 0031'23
Health: screening; screening minors for lead poisoning; require at intervals determined by the department of health and human services by rule, and require documentation of screening in certificate of immunization. Amends 1978 PA 368 (MCL 333.1101 - 333.25211) by adding sec. 5474d. TIE BAR WITH: HB 4200'23
Health occupations: pharmacists; pharmacists to order and administer certain vaccines and laboratory tests and dispense drugs under certain circumstances; allow. Amends secs. 9204, 9206, 17703, 17707, 17708, 17713, 17751 & 17757 of 1978 PA 368 (MCL 333.9204 et seq.) & adds secs. 17724 & 17724a.
Health: immunizations; exemptions to immunization requirements; modify to require the use of forms created by the department. Amends sec. 9215 of 1978 of 368 (MCL 333.9215). TIE BAR WITH: HB 6206'24
Education: reports; grade requirement for certain immunization records; modify in the revised school code. Amends sec. 1177 of 1976 PA 451 (MCL 380.1177). TIE BAR WITH: SB 0875'24