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Who cares
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Sponsors
History
- Print number 4733a
- Amend and recommit to health
- Referred to health
- Referred to health
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Provides that persons in parental relation to a child refusing to immunize such child for religious reasons, shall file with the school an affidavit that the risks of such failure to immunize
In Assembly Committee · Health · Sponsor Aravella Simotas
Full text
The text isn't available here yet. Check nysenate.gov.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the public health law, in relation to the religious exemption from mandatory immunization of a child
Purpose
To ensure the safety of our schoolchildren by making sure parents understand the risks of not vaccinating their children and their children's classmates.
Summary of provisions
Section 1 amends subdivision 9 of section 2164 of the public health law by adding the requirement that when a parent or legal guardian submits an application to exempt his or her child from the compulsory vaccination requirements according to religious beliefs, the parent must include an affidavit from a physician stating that the physician discussed the risks of such a decision with the parent or legal guardian.
Justification
Recently, there has been an increasingly large movement by parents choosing not to vaccinate their children from deadly infectious diseases. As the anti-vaccination movement has grown in the past few years, this country has experienced the worst outbreak of measles in 20 years, and the worst outbreak of whooping cough in 70 years. This bill seeks to ebb this dangerous trend. While still respecting the religious rights of those who truly object to vaccines on religious grounds, this bill requires that a physician discuss the health risks with the parent. Concerns about dangerous side effects of vaccines are not supported by scientific literature.
Additionally, though many parents may comprehend the risks to which they are exposing their own child, they ignore the risks to their children's classmates who for medical reasons cannot be vaccinated, and are at an increased risk of contracting these deadly illnesses. Therefore, it is imperative that parents fully understand all of these risks before exposing their own child and their child's friends and classmates to these deadly, yet preventable diseases.
Legislative history
New Bill.
Fiscal implications
None.
Effective date
This act shall take effect on the thirtieth day after it shall have become a law.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.