Source: https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displayText.xhtml?lawCode=HSC&division=105.&title=&part=2.&chapter=1.&article
Timestamp: 2020-01-20 20:24:14
Document Index: 588730551

Matched Legal Cases: ['ART 2', 'art 2', 'art 2', 'art 2', 'art 1', 'art 1', 'art 1']

DIVISION 105. COMMUNICABLE DISEASE PREVENTION AND CONTROL [120100 - 122477]
( Division 105 added by Stats. 1995, Ch. 415, Sec. 7. )
PART 2. IMMUNIZATIONS [120325 - 120480]
( Part 2 added by Stats. 1995, Ch. 415, Sec. 7. )
CHAPTER 1. Educational and Child Care Facility Immunization Requirements [120325 - 120380]
( Chapter 1 added by Stats. 1995, Ch. 415, Sec. 7. )
120325.
In enacting this chapter, but excluding Section 120380, and in enacting Sections 120400, 120405, 120410, and 120415, it is the intent of the Legislature to provide:
(b) That the persons required to be immunized be allowed to obtain immunizations from whatever medical source they so desire, subject only to the condition that the immunization be performed in accordance with the regulations of the department and that a record of the immunization is made in accordance with the regulations.
(c) Exemptions from immunization for medical reasons.
(d) For the keeping of adequate records of immunization so that health departments, schools, and other institutions, parents or guardians, and the persons immunized will be able to ascertain that a child is fully or only partially immunized, and so that appropriate public agencies will be able to ascertain the immunization needs of groups of children in schools or other institutions.
(e) Incentives to public health authorities to design innovative and creative programs that will promote and achieve full and timely immunization of children.
(Amended by Stats. 2015, Ch. 35, Sec. 1. (SB 277) Effective January 1, 2016.)
120330.
The department, in consultation with the Department of Education, shall adopt and enforce all regulations necessary to carry out Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 120325, but excluding Section 120380) and to carry out Sections 120400, 120405, 120410, and 120415.
(Added by Stats. 1995, Ch. 415, Sec. 7. Effective January 1, 1996.)
120335.
(a) As used in this chapter, “governing authority” means the governing board of each school district or the authority of each other private or public institution responsible for the operation and control of the institution or the principal or administrator of each school or institution.
(Amended by Stats. 2015, Ch. 35, Sec. 2. (SB 277) Effective January 1, 2016.)
120338.
Notwithstanding Sections 120325 and 120335, any immunizations deemed appropriate by the department pursuant to paragraph (11) of subdivision (a) of Section 120325 or paragraph (11) of subdivision (b) of Section 120335, may be mandated before a pupil’s first admission to any private or public elementary or secondary school, child care center, day nursery, nursery school, family day care home, or development center, only if exemptions are allowed for both medical reasons and personal beliefs.
(Added by Stats. 2015, Ch. 35, Sec. 3. (SB 277) Effective January 1, 2016.)
120340.
A person who has not been fully immunized against one or more of the diseases listed in Section 120335 may be admitted by the governing authority on condition that within time periods designated by regulation of the department he or she presents evidence that he or she has been fully immunized against all of these diseases.
120341.
(a) The governing authority shall admit a foster child, as defined in subdivision (a) of Section 48853.5 of the Education Code, whose immunization records are not available or are missing.
(b) This section shall not alter the obligation of the governing authority to obtain a foster child’s immunization records pursuant to Section 48853.5 of the Education Code or to ensure the immunization of a foster child pursuant to this chapter.
(Added by Stats. 2011, Ch. 463, Sec. 3. (AB 709) Effective January 1, 2012.)
120345.
The immunizations required by Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 120325, but excluding Section 120380) and required by Sections 120400, 120405, 120410, and 120415 may be obtained from any private or public source desired if the immunization is administered and records are made in accordance with regulations of the department.
120350.
The county health officer of each county shall organize and maintain a program to make immunizations available to all persons required by Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 120325, but excluding Section 120380) and required by Sections 120400, 120405, 120410, and 120415 to be immunized. The county health officer shall also determine how the cost of the program is to be recovered. To the extent that the cost to the county is in excess of that sum recovered from persons immunized, the cost shall be paid by the county in the same manner as other expenses of the county are paid.
120355.
Any person or organization administering immunizations shall furnish each person immunized, or his or her parent or guardian, with a written record of immunization given in a form prescribed by the department.
120360.
The requirements of Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 120325, but excluding Section 120380) and of Sections 120400, 120405, 120410, and 120415 shall not apply to any person 18 years of age or older, or to any person seeking admission to a community college.
120370.
(a) (1) Prior to January 1, 2021, if the parent or guardian files with the governing authority a written statement by a licensed physician and surgeon to the effect that the physical condition of the child is such, or medical circumstances relating to the child are such, that immunization is not considered safe, indicating the specific nature and probable duration of the medical condition or circumstances, including, but not limited to, family medical history, for which the physician and surgeon does not recommend immunization, that child shall be exempt from the requirements of this chapter, except for Section 120380, and exempt from Sections 120400, 120405, 120410, and 120415 to the extent indicated by the physician and surgeon’s statement.
(2) Commencing January 1, 2020, a child who has a medical exemption issued before January 1, 2020, shall be allowed continued enrollment to any public or private elementary or secondary school, child care center, day nursery, nursery school, family day care home, or developmental center within the state until the child enrolls in the next grade span.
(3) Except as provided in this subdivision, on and after July 1, 2021, the governing authority shall not unconditionally admit or readmit to any of those institutions specified in this subdivision, or admit or advance any pupil to 7th grade level, unless the pupil has been immunized pursuant to Section 120335 or the parent or guardian files a medical exemption form that complies with Section 120372.
(b) If there is good cause to believe that a child has been exposed to a disease listed in subdivision (b) of Section 120335 and the child’s documentary proof of immunization status does not show proof of immunization against that disease, that child may be temporarily excluded from the school or institution until the local health officer is satisfied that the child is no longer at risk of developing or transmitting the disease.
(Amended by Stats. 2019, Ch. 281, Sec. 1. (SB 714) Effective January 1, 2020.)
120372.
(a) (1) By January 1, 2021, the department shall develop and make available for use by licensed physicians and surgeons an electronic, standardized, statewide medical exemption certification form that shall be transmitted directly to the department’s California Immunization Registry (CAIR) established pursuant to Section 120440. Pursuant to Section 120375, the form shall be printed, signed, and submitted directly to the school or institution at which the child will attend, submitted directly to the governing authority of the school or institution, or submitted to that governing authority through the CAIR where applicable. Notwithstanding Section 120370, commencing January 1, 2021, the standardized form shall be the only documentation of a medical exemption that the governing authority may accept.
(2) At a minimum, the form shall require all of the following information:
(A) The name, California medical license number, business address, and telephone number of the physician and surgeon who issued the medical exemption, and of the primary care physician of the child, if different from the physician and surgeon who issued the medical exemption.
(B) The name of the child for whom the exemption is sought, the name and address of the child’s parent or guardian, and the name and address of the child’s school or other institution.
(C) A statement certifying that the physician and surgeon has conducted a physical examination and evaluation of the child consistent with the relevant standard of care and complied with all applicable requirements of this section.
(D) Whether the physician and surgeon who issued the medical exemption is the child’s primary care physician. If the issuing physician and surgeon is not the child’s primary care physician, the issuing physician and surgeon shall also provide an explanation as to why the issuing physician and not the primary care physician is filling out the medical exemption form.
(E) How long the physician and surgeon has been treating the child.
(F) A description of the medical basis for which the exemption for each individual immunization is sought. Each specific immunization shall be listed separately and space on the form shall be provided to allow for the inclusion of descriptive information for each immunization for which the exemption is sought.
(G) Whether the medical exemption is permanent or temporary, including the date upon which a temporary medical exemption will expire. A temporary exemption shall not exceed one year. All medical exemptions shall not extend beyond the grade span, as defined in Section 120370.
(H) An authorization for the department to contact the issuing physician and surgeon for purposes of this section and for the release of records related to the medical exemption to the department, the Medical Board of California, and the Osteopathic Medical Board of California.
(I) A certification by the issuing physician and surgeon that the statements and information contained in the form are true, accurate, and complete.
(3) An issuing physician and surgeon shall not charge for either of the following:
(A) Filling out a medical exemption form pursuant to this section.
(B) A physical examination related to the renewal of a temporary medical exemption.
(b) Commencing January 1, 2021, if a parent or guardian requests a licensed physician and surgeon to submit a medical exemption for the parent’s or guardian’s child, the physician and surgeon shall inform the parent or guardian of the requirements of this section. If the parent or guardian consents, the physician and surgeon shall examine the child and submit a completed medical exemption certification form to the department. A medical exemption certification form may be submitted to the department at any time.
(c) By January 1, 2021, the department shall create a standardized system to monitor immunization levels in schools and institutions as specified in Sections 120375 and 120440, and to monitor patterns of unusually high exemption form submissions by a particular physician and surgeon.
(d) (1) The department, at a minimum, shall annually review immunization reports from all schools and institutions in order to identify medical exemption forms submitted to the department and under this section that will be subject to paragraph (2).
(2) A clinically trained immunization department staff member, who is either a physician and surgeon or a registered nurse, shall review all medical exemptions from any of the following:
(A) Schools or institutions subject to Section 120375 with an overall immunization rate of less than 95 percent.
(B) Physicians and surgeons who have submitted five or more medical exemptions in a calendar year beginning January 1, 2020.
(C) Schools or institutions subject to Section 120375 that do not provide reports of vaccination rates to the department.
(3) (A) The department shall identify those medical exemption forms that do not meet applicable CDC, ACIP, or AAP criteria for appropriate medical exemptions. The department may contact the primary care physician and surgeon or issuing physician and surgeon to request additional information to support the medical exemption.
(B) Notwithstanding subparagraph (A), the department, based on the medical discretion of the clinically trained immunization staff member, may accept a medical exemption that is based on other contraindications or precautions, including consideration of family medical history, if the issuing physician and surgeon provides written documentation to support the medical exemption that is consistent with the relevant standard of care.
(C) A medical exemption that the reviewing immunization department staff member determines to be inappropriate or otherwise invalid under subparagraphs (A) and (B) shall also be reviewed by the State Public Health Officer or a physician and surgeon from the department’s immunization program designated by the State Public Health Officer. Pursuant to this review, the State Public Health Officer or physician and surgeon designee may revoke the medical exemption.
(4) Medical exemptions issued prior to January 1, 2020, shall not be revoked unless the exemption was issued by a physician or surgeon that has been subject to disciplinary action by the Medical Board of California or the Osteopathic Medical Board of California.
(5) The department shall notify the parent or guardian, issuing physician and surgeon, the school or institution, and the local public health officer with jurisdiction over the school or institution of a denial or revocation under this subdivision.
(6) If a medical exemption is revoked pursuant to this subdivision, the child shall continue in attendance. However, within 30 calendar days of the revocation, the child shall commence the immunization schedule required for conditional admittance under Chapter 4 (commencing with Section 6000) of Division 1 of Title 17 of the California Code of Regulations in order to remain in attendance, unless an appeal is filed pursuant to Section 120372.05 within that 30-day time period, in which case the child shall continue in attendance and shall not be required to otherwise comply with immunization requirements unless and until the revocation is upheld on appeal.
(7) (A) If the department determines that a physician’s and surgeon’s practice is contributing to a public health risk in one or more communities, the department shall report the physician and surgeon to the Medical Board of California or the Osteopathic Medical Board of California, as appropriate. The department shall not accept a medical exemption form from the physician and surgeon until the physician and surgeon demonstrates to the department that the public health risk no longer exists, but in no event shall the physician and surgeon be barred from submitting these forms for less than two years.
(B) If there is a pending accusation against a physician and surgeon with the Medical Board of California or the Osteopathic Medical Board of California relating to immunization standards of care, the department shall not accept a medical exemption form from the physician and surgeon unless and until the accusation is resolved in favor of the physician and surgeon.
(C) If a physician and surgeon licensed with the Medical Board of California or the Osteopathic Medical Board of California is on probation for action relating to immunization standards of care, the department and governing authority shall not accept a medical exemption form from the physician and surgeon unless and until the probation has been terminated.
(8) The department shall notify the Medical Board of California or the Osteopathic Medical Board of California, as appropriate, of any physician and surgeon who has five or more medical exemption forms in a calendar year that are revoked pursuant to this subdivision.
(9) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, a clinically trained immunization program staff member who is a physician and surgeon or a registered nurse may review any exemption in the CAIR or other state database as necessary to protect public health.
(e) The department, the Medical Board of California, and the Osteopathic Medical Board of California shall enter into a memorandum of understanding or similar agreement to ensure compliance with the requirements of this section.
(f) In administering this section, the department and the independent expert review panel created pursuant to Section 120372.05 shall comply with all applicable state and federal privacy and confidentiality laws. The department may disclose information submitted in the medical exemption form in accordance with Section 120440, and may disclose information submitted pursuant to this chapter to the independent expert review panel for the purpose of evaluating appeals.
(g) The department shall establish the process and guidelines for review of medical exemptions pursuant to this section. The department shall communicate the process to providers and post this information on the department’s website.
(h) If the department or the California Health and Human Services Agency determines that contracts are required to implement or administer this section, the department may award these contracts on a single-source or sole-source basis. The contracts are not subject to Part 2 (commencing with Section 10100) of Division 2 of the Public Contract Code, Article 4 (commencing with Section 19130) of Chapter 5 of Part 2 of Division 5 of Title 2 of the Government Code, or Sections 4800 to 5180, inclusive, of the State Administrative Manual as they relate to approval of information technology projects or approval of increases in the duration or costs of information technology projects.
(i) Notwithstanding the rulemaking provisions of the Administrative Procedure Act (Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code), the department may implement and administer this section through provider bulletins, or similar instructions, without taking regulatory action.
(j) For purposes of administering this section, the department and the California Health and Human Services Agency appeals process shall be exempt from the rulemaking and administrative adjudication provisions in the Administrative Procedure Act Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340), and Chapter 4 (commencing with Section 11370), Chapter 4.5 (commencing with 11400), and Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 11500) of, Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code.
(Amended by Stats. 2019, Ch. 281, Sec. 2. (SB 714) Effective January 1, 2020.)
120372.05.
(a) A medical exemption revoked pursuant to Section 120372 may be appealed by a parent or guardian to the Secretary of California Health and Human Services. Parents, guardians, or the physician who issued the medical exemption may provide necessary information for purposes of the appeal.
(b) The secretary shall establish an independent expert review panel, consisting of three licensed physicians and surgeons who have relevant knowledge, training, and experience relating to primary care or immunization to review appeals. The agency shall establish the process and guidelines for the appeals process pursuant to this section, including the process for the panel to contact the issuing physician and surgeon, parent, or guardian. The agency shall post this information on the agency’s internet website. The agency shall also establish requirements, including conflict-of-interest standards, consistent with the purposes of this chapter, that a physician and surgeon shall meet in order to qualify to serve on the panel.
(c) The independent expert review panel shall evaluate appeals consistent with the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, federal Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, or American Academy of Pediatrics guidelines or the relevant standard of care, as applicable.
(d) The independent expert review panel shall submit its determination to the secretary. The secretary shall adopt the determination of the independent expert review panel and shall promptly issue a written decision to the child’s parent or guardian. The decision shall not be subject to further administrative review.
(e) A child whose medical exemption revocation pursuant to subdivision (d) of Section 120372 is appealed under this section shall continue in attendance and shall not be required to commence the immunization required for conditional admittance under Chapter 4 (commencing with Section 6000) of Division 1 of Title 17 of the California Code of Regulations, provided that the appeal is filed within 30 calendar days of revocation of the medical exemption.
(f) For purposes for administering this section, the department and the California Health and Human Services Agency appeals process shall be exempt from the rulemaking and administrative adjudication provisions in the Administrative Procedure Act Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340), and Chapter 4 (commencing with Section 11370), Chapter 4.5 (commencing with 11400), and Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 11500) of, Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code.
(Amended by Stats. 2019, Ch. 281, Sec. 3. (SB 714) Effective January 1, 2020.)
120375.
(a) The governing authority of each school or institution included in Section 120335 shall require documentary proof of each entrant’s immunization status. The governing authority shall record the immunizations of each new entrant in the entrant’s permanent enrollment and scholarship record on a form provided by the department. The immunization record of each new entrant admitted conditionally shall be reviewed periodically by the governing authority to ensure that within the time periods designated by regulation of the department the entrant has been fully immunized against all of the diseases listed in Section 120335, and immunizations received after entry shall be added to the pupil’s immunization record.
(b) The governing authority of each school or institution included in Section 120335 shall prohibit from further attendance any pupil admitted conditionally who failed to obtain the required immunizations within the time limits allowed in the regulations of the department until that pupil has been fully immunized against all of the diseases listed in Section 120335, unless the pupil is exempted under Section 120370 or 120372.
(c) The governing authority shall file a written report, on at least an annual basis, on the immunization status of new entrants to the school or institution under their jurisdiction with the department and the local health department on forms prescribed by the department. As provided in paragraph (4) of subdivision (a) of Section 49076 of the Education Code, the local health department shall have access to the complete health information as it relates to immunization of each student in the schools or other institutions listed in Section 120335 in order to determine immunization deficiencies.
(Amended by Stats. 2019, Ch. 278, Sec. 5. (SB 276) Effective January 1, 2020.)
120380.
It is the intent of the Legislature that the administration of immunizing agents by registered nurses in school immunization programs under the direction of a supervising physician and surgeon as provided in Sections 49403 and 49426 of the Education Code shall be in accordance with accepted medical procedure. To implement this intent, the department may adopt written regulations specifying the procedures and circumstances under which a registered nurse, acting under the direction of a supervising physician and surgeon, may administer an immunizing agent pursuant to Sections 49403 and 49426 of the Education Code.
However, nothing in this section shall be construed to prevent any registered nurse from administering an immunizing agent in accordance with Sections 49403 and 49426 of the Education Code in the absence of written regulations as the department is authorized to adopt under this section.
(Amended by Stats. 1997, Ch. 97, Sec. 6. Effective July 21, 1997.)