Authority of the Secretary of Health and Medical Information
Impact
If enacted, HB1347 will have significant implications for public health policy in Maryland. The bill's provisions are expected to reduce the mandatory immunization requirements for public school enrollment and impact how health authorities manage the reporting of vaccinations and medical information. This could potentially lead to lower vaccination rates among schoolchildren, raising public health concerns regarding outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases. Furthermore, the bill's reassessment of health authority powers would alter the existing legal framework guiding public health interventions during emergencies.
Summary
House Bill 1347 seeks to modify existing laws regarding the authority of the Secretary of Health in relation to medical information and immunization requirements in Maryland. The bill specifically restricts the requirement for parents or guardians to present a certificate of immunization for public school admission, allowing for religious exemptions. Furthermore, it prohibits the requirement of proof of medical examinations, vaccinations, or tests for individuals seeking employment, traveling, or accessing public facilities. This change aims to enhance individual freedoms regarding health-related decisions.
Contention
The discussions surrounding HB1347 reflect a contentious debate between public health advocates and individual rights proponents. Supporters of the bill argue that it upholds personal autonomy, particularly regarding medical choices and religious beliefs, while detractors express concerns about the potential erosion of community health protections. The exclusion of vaccination proofs in various sectors could undermine collective efforts to maintain high vaccination rates, raising ethical and practical questions about public safety versus individual rights.
Requiring the secretary of health and environment to study drug overdose death cases and providing for the confidentiality of related records, restricting the authority of the secretary of health and environment and local health officers to control the spread of infectious or contagious diseases, repealing the authority of the secretary to quarantine individuals and impose penalties for violations thereof and prohibiting the secretary of health and environment from requiring COVID-19 vaccination for children attending a child care facility or school.
House Substitute for HB 2390 by Committee on Public Health and Welfare - Requiring the secretary of health and environment to study drug overdose death cases and providing for the confidentiality of acquired and related records, restricting the authority of the secretary of health and environment and local health officers to prevent the introduction and spread of infectious or contagious diseases and repealing the authority of the secretary to quarantine individuals and impose associated penalties.
Restricting the authority of the secretary of health and environment and local health officers to prevent the introduction and spread of infectious or contagious diseases; repealing the authority of the secretary to quarantine individuals and impose associated penalties.
Elections: registration; automatic voter registration; modify. Amends secs. 493a, 500a & 501 of 1954 PA 116 (MCL 168.493a et seq.) & adds sec. 493b. TIE BAR WITH: HB 4569'23
State: identification cards; citizenship or legal presence requirement for obtaining a state identification card; remove. Amends secs. 1, 1a & 2 of 1972 PA 222 (MCL 28.291 et seq.).
State: identification cards; citizenship or legal presence requirement for obtaining a state identification card; remove. Amends secs. 1, 1a & 2 of 1972 PA 222 (MCL 28.291 et seq.).
State: identification cards; application requirements for a state identification card; modify. Amends secs. 1 & 2 of 1972 PA 222 (MCL 28.291 & 28.292).
State: identification cards; mobile official state personal identification card; provide for. Amends sec. 2 of 1972 PA 222 (MCL 28.292). TIE BAR WITH: SB 0460'23, SB 0461'23, SB 0894'24
State: identification cards; citizenship or legal presence requirement for obtaining a state identification card; remove. Amends secs. 1, 1a & 2 of 1972 PA 222 (MCL 28.291 et seq.).