I 
108TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 4080 
To require entering students who will reside in on-campus housing at 
postsecondary institutions to have received meningococcal vaccinations. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 31, 2004 
Mr. ANDREWS (for himself and Mr. ISAKSON) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce 
A BILL 
To require entering students who will reside in on-campus 
housing at postsecondary institutions to have received 
meningococcal vaccinations. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Meningococcal Vac-
cination Act of 2004’’. 
SEC. 2. VACCINATION REQUIREMENTS. 
Part G of title IV of the Higher Education Act of 
1965 is amended by inserting after section 485C (20 
U.S.C. 1092c) the following new section:
‘‘SEC. 485D. VACCINATION REQUIREMENTS. 
‘‘(a) DEFINITIONS.—As used in this section: 
‘‘(1) The term ‘enrolled’ means having reg-
istered for a credit or noncredit course. 
‘‘(2) The term ‘postsecondary institution’ 
means a school of post-secondary education that 
generally limits enrollment to graduates of secondary 
schools and awards degrees at the associate, bacca-
laureate, or graduate level. 
‘‘(3) The term ‘meningococcal vaccination’ 
means receipt of the vaccine protecting against at 
least the four serogroups of A, C, Y, and W–135 of 
meningococcal disease within the 3 years preceding 
the date on which the individual moves into on-cam-
pus student housing. 
‘‘(4) The term ‘on-campus student housing’ 
means housing provided to individuals, regardless of 
the fee, that is owned, rented, or contracted for and 
operated by a postsecondary institution, or through 
written agreement, with an agent of the postsec-
ondary institution. 
‘‘(b) REQUIRED MENINGOCOCCAL VACCINATION.— 
Except as provided in subsection (c), an individual en-
rolled in a postsecondary institution living in on-campus 
student housing shall— 
‘‘(1) obtain a meningococcal vaccination; and
‘‘(2) submit written documentation to the post-
secondary institution from a health care professional 
or clinic of receipt of a meningococcal vaccination. 
‘‘(c) NOTIFICATION OF REQUIRED MENINGOCOCCAL 
VACCINATION.—A postsecondary institution shall— 
‘‘(1) inform an individual or the parent or 
guardian of an individual younger than 18 years old 
of the requirement for meningococcal vaccination at 
the time the individual— 
‘‘(A) is accepted for admission to a post-
secondary institution; or 
‘‘(B) registers for classes, if the individual 
is not required to apply for admission before 
registering for courses; 
‘‘(2) include notice of the requirement for 
meningococcal vaccination in— 
‘‘(A) admission acceptance information; 
‘‘(B) student health-related information 
and materials; 
‘‘(C) resident life information and mate-
rials; 
‘‘(D) the student handbook; and 
‘‘(E) the college catalog; and 
‘‘(3) provide detailed information to an indi-
vidual who resides or may reside in on-campus stu-
dent housing or the parent or guardian of an indi-
vidual younger than 18 years old who resides or may 
reside in on-campus student housing concerning— 
‘‘(A) 
the 
risks 
associated 
with 
meningococcal disease; and 
‘‘(B) the availability and effectiveness of 
meningococcal vaccine. 
‘‘(d) EXEMPTION FROM MENINGOCOCCAL VACCINA-
TION REQUIREMENT.— 
‘‘(1) ADULTS.—An individual 18 years old or 
older is exempt from the meningococcal vaccination 
requirement under section 3 if the individual pre-
sents to the postsecondary institution a signed writ-
ten waiver in the form required by section 6 stating 
that the individual has— 
‘‘(A) received and reviewed the information 
specified in section 4; and 
‘‘(B) 
chosen 
not 
to 
obtain 
the 
meningococcal vaccination. 
‘‘(2) MINORS.—An individual younger than 18 
years old is exempt from the meningococcal vaccina-
tion requirement under section 3 if a signed written 
waiver in the form required by section 6 is presented 
to the postsecondary institution on behalf of the in-