MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2018 Regular Session
To: Public Health and Human Services
By: Representatives Currie, Hopkins
AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 41-88-3, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROHIBIT THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH FROM REQUIRING HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS OR HEALTH CARE FACILITIES TO ADMINISTER VACCINATIONS FOR HEPATITIS B TO ALL NEWBORNS AT BIRTH OR BEFORE DISCHARGE FROM THE HOSPITAL; TO PROHIBIT HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS AND HEALTH CARE FACILITIES FROM ADMINISTERING A VACCINATION FOR HEPATITIS B TO A NEWBORN AT BIRTH OR BEFORE DISCHARGE FROM THE HOSPITAL UNLESS THE PARENT OR PARENTS OF THE NEWBORN REQUEST THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE VACCINE TO THE NEWBORN; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:
SECTION 1. Section 41-88-3, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:
41-88-3. (1) The State Department of Health is responsible for assuring that all children in the state are appropriately immunized against vaccine-preventable diseases. In order to improve the state's immunization levels in children, the State Department of Health shall enhance current immunization activities and focus on children receiving all recommended immunizations by twenty-four (24) months of age. The immunizations shall be administered according to the recommendations of the national Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). The administration of vaccine shall not be delayed due to a reluctance of the health care provider to administer multiple immunizations in a visit. The department shall improve parent compliance and provide more timely scheduling, recall and follow-up in order to achieve national and state immunization level goals. Notwithstanding any provision of this section to the contrary, the State Department of Health shall not require health care providers or health care facilities to administer vaccinations for Hepatitis B to all newborns at birth or before discharge from the hospital, and a health care provider or health care facility shall not administer a vaccination for Hepatitis B to a newborn at birth or before discharge from the hospital unless the parent or parents of the newborn request the administration of the vaccine to the newborn.
(2) The State Department of Health shall establish a statewide childhood immunization registry to which all health care providers will report the administration of childhood immunizations. The State Board of Health will promulgate rules and regulations needed to implement this section. The department shall make information regarding the immunization status of children in the registry available to the parents/guardians of the child, health care providers and individuals or organizations that are required to report on the immunizations status of children in their care.
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2018.