State Health Commissioner; powers during an epidemic, vaccinations, religious tenets or practices. (SB1116)
Introduced By
Sen. Mark Peake (R-Lynchburg) with support from co-patron Del. Mark Cole (R-Fredericksburg)
Progress
✓ |
Introduced |
✗ |
Passed Committee |
☐ |
Passed House |
☐ |
Passed Senate |
☐ |
Signed by Governor |
☐ |
Became Law |
Description
Powers of State Health Commissioner in epidemic; vaccine; religious tenets or practices. Allows a parent or guardian to object to the vaccination or immunization of a child on the grounds that the administration of immunizing agents conflicts with his religious tenets or practices, even if an emergency or epidemic of disease has been declared by the State Board of Health, which is not allowed under current law. The bill also provides that nothing shall preclude the State Health Commissioner from requiring immediate immunization of all persons in the case of an epidemic of any disease of public health importance for which a vaccine exists other than a person, including a parent or guardian on behalf of a child, who objects on the grounds that the administration of the vaccine conflicts with his religious tenets or practices. Under current law, the only exception to the Commissioner's power to require immediate immunization of all persons in case of an epidemic of any disease of public health importance for which a vaccine exists is for a person to whose health the administration of a vaccine would be detrimental as certified in writing by a physician licensed to practice medicine in the Commonwealth. Read the Bill »
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Outcome
History
Date | Action |
---|---|
12/21/2020 | Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/13/21 21101449D |
12/21/2020 | Referred to Committee on Education and Health |
01/11/2021 | Impact statement from DPB (SB1116) |
01/18/2021 | Assigned Education sub: Health |
01/21/2021 | Passed by indefinitely in Education and Health (9-Y 5-N) (see vote tally) |