Bill Text: NJ A1603 | 2020-2021 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Requires human papillomavirus vaccinations for students in grades six through 12.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2020-01-14 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Health Committee [A1603 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2020-A1603-Introduced.html
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
219th LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2020 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman PAMELA R. LAMPITT
District 6 (Burlington and Camden)
SYNOPSIS
Requires human papillomavirus vaccinations for students in grades six through 12.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel.
An Act requiring human papillomavirus vaccinations for students in grades six through 12 and supplementing Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. The Commissioner of Health shall require the immunization of a child for human papillomavirus as a condition of enrollment in grades six through 12, or comparable age level for special education programs, except as provided in section 2 of this act.
b. Beginning with the 2016-2017 school year, a principal, director, or other person in charge of a public or private school in this State shall not knowingly admit or retain in grades six through 12, or comparable age level for special education programs, a child whose parent or guardian has not submitted acceptable evidence of the child's immunization for human papillomavirus prior to or during enrollment in sixth grade, or comparable age level for special education programs, as provided by regulation of the Commissioner of Health.
c. The Commissioner of Health shall adopt rules and regulations pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.) to carry out the purposes of this act.
2. A student shall not be required to receive a vaccination pursuant to section 1 of this act based upon one of the following:
a. a written statement submitted to the public or private school, as applicable, by a licensed physician indicating that the vaccine is medically contraindicated for a specific period of time and the reasons for the medical contraindication, based upon valid medical reasons as determined by regulation of the Commissioner of Health, which shall exempt the student from the vaccination for the stated period of time; or
b. a written statement submitted to the public or private school, as applicable, by the student or, if the student is a minor, the student's parent or guardian, explaining how the administration of the vaccine conflicts with the bona fide religious tenets or practices of the student or the parent or guardian, as appropriate; except that a general philosophical or moral objection to the vaccination shall not be sufficient for an exemption on religious grounds.
3. This act shall take effect
immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill stipulates that the Commissioner of Health would require the immunization of a child for human papillomavirus (HPV) as a condition of enrollment in grades six through 12 or comparable age level for special education programs.
Beginning with the 2016-2017 school year, a principal, director, or other person in charge of a public or private school in this State would not knowingly admit or retain in grades six through 12, or comparable age level for special education programs, a child whose parent or guardian did not submit acceptable evidence of the child's immunization for HPV prior to or during enrollment in sixth grade.
The bill also provides that a student would be exempt from receiving the vaccination if a written statement is submitted to the public or private school: by a licensed physician indicating that the vaccine is medically contraindicated for a specific period of time and the reasons for the medical contraindication, based upon valid medical reasons; or by the student or, if the student is a minor, by the student's parent or guardian, explaining how the vaccination conflicts with the bona fide religious tenets or practices of the student or the parent or guardian, as appropriate.
Under the bill's provisions, a general philosophical or moral objection to the vaccination would not be sufficient grounds for a religious exemption to the student receiving the vaccination.
