II 

109TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. 3791 

To require the provision of information to parents and adults concerning 

bacterial meningitis and the availability of a vaccination with respect 

to such disease. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

AUGUST 3, 2006 

Mrs. HUTCHISON (for herself, Ms. COLLINS, and Ms. SNOWE) introduced the 

following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on 

Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions 

A BILL 

To require the provision of information to parents and adults 

concerning bacterial meningitis and the availability of 

a vaccination with respect to such disease. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Meningitis Immuniza5 tion Awareness Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

7 Congress makes the following findings: 

8 (1) Approximately 3,000 cases of meningococcal 

9 disease occur each year in the United States. SympVerDate Aug 31 2005 05:16 Aug 05, 2006 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S3791.IS S3791

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1 toms are easily mistaken for the flu. Because it is 

2 one of the few illnesses that can kill an otherwise 

3 healthy person within 24 hours of the first appear4 ance of symptoms, there is a significant impact on 

5 communities with bacterial meningitis cases or out6 breaks. 

7 (2) Teens are at particular risk for 

8 meningococcal disease. Almost 25 percent adoles9 cents develop bacterial meningitis will die and an10 other 20 percent will lose arms or legs, suffer brain 

11 damage, or become deaf. 

12 (3) A new one-shot vaccination that offers pro13 tection against most forms of bacterial meningitis 

14 may prevent up to 83 percent of cases in the United 

15 States. 

16 (4) Crowded conditions, such as those existing 

17 at sleep away camps or college dormitories, increase 

18 the risk of contracting meningococcal disease. Mem19 bers of the Armed Forces are routinely vaccinated 

20 against bacterial meningitis. The Centers for Dis21 ease Control and Prevention, the American Academy 

22 of Family Physicians, the American Academy of Pe23 diatrics, the American Medical Association, and the 

24 Society for Adolescent Medicine recommend vaccinaVerDate Aug 31 2005 05:16 Aug 05, 2006 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S3791.IS S3791

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1 tions for teens and for college students before they 

2 return to school. 

3 (5) As of July 2006, approximately 30 States 

4 have laws requiring that information about 

5 meningococcal disease and the availability of an ef6 fective vaccine be provided to students and parents 

7 of students at the time a student enrolls in college. 

8 A few States also require camps, middle schools, or 

9 high schools to provide parental notification of the 

10 availability of a vaccine against bacterial meningitis. 

11 SEC. 3. PROVISION OF INFORMATION. 

12 (a) DEVELOPMENT OF INFORMATION.—The Sec13 retary of Health and Human Services, in consultation with 

14 the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Pre15 vention, shall develop and make available to entities de16 scribed in subsection (b) information concerning bacterial 

17 meningitis and the availability and effectiveness of vac18 cinations for individuals 2 years of age or older with re19 spect to such disease. 

20 (b) ENTITIES.—An entity is described in this sub21 section if the entity— 

22 (1) is— 

23 (A) a child care center or provider that is 

24 licensed or certified under an appropriate State 

25 law; 


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1 (B) an elementary or secondary school (as 

2 such terms are defined in the Elementary and 

3 Secondary School Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6301 

4 et seq.); 

5 (C) a college or university; 

6 (D) a boarding school or summer camp; 

7 (E) a prison or other detention facility; or 

8 (F) any other entity that provides for the 

9 housing of individuals in a dorm-like setting; or 

10 (2) any other entity determined appropriate by 

11 the Secretary of Health and Human Services. 

Æ 


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