2021 -- H 5706

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LC001355

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2021

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY – DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH

     Introduced By: Representatives Phillips, Carson, Serpa, Fellela, Casey, and S Lima

     Date Introduced: February 24, 2021

     Referred To: House Health & Human Services

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. Section 23-1-44 of the General Laws in Chapter 23-1 entitled "Department

of Health" is hereby amended to read as follows:

     23-1-44. Routine childhood and adult immunization vaccines.

     (a) The department of health shall include in the department's immunization program those

vaccines for routine childhood immunization as recommended by the Advisory Committee for

Immunization Practices (ACIP) and the Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), and for routine adult

immunization as recommended by the ACIP, to the extent permitted by available funds. The

immunization program includes administrative and quality assurance services and the Rhode Island

Child and Adult Immunization Registry (RICAIR), a confidential, computerized information

system that is used to manage statewide immunizations, for all persons in Rhode Island.

     (b) The director of the department of health shall appoint an advisory committee that will

be convened after the ACIP makes a recommendation regarding immunization. The committee will

review the ACIP recommendations for the state; assess the vaccine cost and feasibility; and advise

the director of health and the office of the health insurance commissioner regarding insurers and

providers acting on the ACIP immunization recommendation. All recommendations will be posted

on the department of health website. The advisory committee membership shall include, but not be

limited to, a primary care provider, pharmacist, representatives of the nursing home industry, the

home healthcare industry and major insurers.

     (c) For the purpose of protecting patients' information, all personally-identifiable

information obtained pursuant to this section shall be subject to the privacy protections of chapter

37.3 of title 5 and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, Pub. L. No.

104-191 (HIPAA), as amended.

     (d) On any form (the "form) issued by a public or private school in this state to a parent,

guardian, or person responsible for a pupil, regarding vaccination requirements prior to that pupil

being allowed access to or entrance into the school, the form shall include information that the

parent, guardian, or responsible person may opt out of the vaccination requirement for the pupil

based upon a religious or medical exemption. This section shall apply regardless of whether the

form is issued in a traditional or "hard copy" format, or as an electronic version, or in some other

format.

     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY – DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH

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     This act would provide that school forms pertaining to vaccination requirements include

information about religious and medical exemptions.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

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