What's happening
This bill allows pharmacists to administer flu vaccines to individuals six years old or older in New York.
Why it matters
Expands access to flu vaccines for children. By allowing pharmacists to vaccinate kids as young as six, families may find it easier and more convenient to get their children immunized, especially outside of regular doctor’s office hours.
May improve public health outcomes. Increasing the number of locations and qualified professionals who can give flu shots could raise overall vaccination rates, helping to reduce the spread of influenza in schools and communities.
Changes pharmacists’ role in healthcare. This measure recognizes pharmacists as more integrated healthcare providers, potentially strengthening their relationships with families and increasing their involvement in preventive care.
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Who cares
Licensed pharmacists
The bill would authorize them to administer flu immunizations to people age six or older.
Parents and guardians of children age six or older
The bill would allow their children to receive flu immunizations from licensed pharmacists.
Adults seeking flu immunizations
The bill would authorize licensed pharmacists to give them flu shots.
Headline styles
Pharmacists Give Kids Flu Shots
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Recommit, enacting clause stricken
- Referred to education
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
887
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 9, 2019
Introduced by Sen. YOUNG -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Education
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to authorizing pharmacists to administer influenza immunizations to persons six years of age or older
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 6801 of the education law is amended by adding a new subdivision 6 to read as follows:
6. a licensed pharmacist may administer immunizations to prevent influenza to persons six years of age or older.
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall have become a law, provided, however, that the amendments to section 6801 of the education law made by section one of this act shall not affect the expiration of such section and shall be deemed to expire therewith.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD04037-01-9
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the education law, in relation to authorizing pharma- cists to administer influenza immunizations to persons six years of age or older
Purpose
Authorizes pharmacists to administer immunizations to prevent influenza to persons six or older.
Summary of provisions
Section 1 amends section 6801 of the education law by adding a new subdivision 6 to authorize pharmacists to administer immunizations to prevent influenza to persons six or older.
Section 2 provides that the act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall have become law, and expire and be deemed repealed on the same date the amendments to section 6801 of the education law expire pursuant to section 8 of chapter 563 of the laws of 2008, as amended.
Justification
Although the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends the influenza vaccination for everyone aged six months and older, the latest statistics reveal that only 58.9W of children under 17 years of age receive the vaccination annually.
Contributing to this low vaccination rate for children is current New York State Law, which states that a licensed pharmacist may only admin- ister influenza vaccinations to individuals aged 18 years and older. This bill would reduce the minimum age, allowing pharmacists to adminis- ter the vaccine to children as young as six years-old.
Reducing this minimum age threshold will increase access to vaccines and therefore raise the vaccination rate. Further, it will increase access in rural areas of the state, where there is limited access to physicians and health care, generally. This measure would make it far easier for families to access immunizations, since pharmacists are highly accessi- ble health care professionals and have more flexible hours of operation.
In addition, reducing the minimum age at which pharmacists may immunize against influenza would put New York in line with the majority of other states and the District of Columbia, which already allow pharmacists to administer flu shots to children younger than 18 years-old.
Prior legislative history
2017,2018: S.5554 REFERRED TO HIGHER EDUCATION
Fiscal implications
None.
Effective date
This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall have become law, and expire and be deemed repealed on the same date the amendments to section 6801 of the education law expire pursuant to section 8 of chapter 563 of the laws of 2008, as amended.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.