An Act To Improve Childhood Vaccination Rates in Maine
Maine Legislature, Session 127, LD 0471
Committee: Health and Human Services
Sponsors: SANBORN, FARNSWORTH, KATZ, BURSTEIN, GATTINE, HEAD, HUBBELL, JORGENSEN, NUTTING, DILL, HASKELL
Amends: 20-A MRSA §6355, 20-A MRSA §6359

Legislative Document 
No. 471 
H.P. 310 
House of Representatives, February 24, 2015 
An Act To Improve Childhood Vaccination Rates in Maine 
Reference to the Committee on Health and Human Services suggested and ordered printed. 
ROBERT B. HUNT 
Clerk 
Presented by Representative SANBORN of Gorham. 
Cosponsored by Representative FARNSWORTH of Portland, Senator KATZ of Kennebec and 
Representatives: BURSTEIN of Lincolnville, GATTINE of Westbrook, HEAD of Bethel, 
HUBBELL of Bar Harbor, JORGENSEN of Portland, NUTTING of Oakland, Senators: DILL 
of Penobscot, HASKELL of Cumberland. 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1.  20-A MRSA §6355, sub-§3, as amended by PL 2001, c. 326, §2, is 
further amended to read: 
3.  Philosophical or religious exemption. The parent states in writing a sincere 
religious belief that is contrary to the immunization requirement of this subchapter or an 
opposition to the immunization for philosophical reasons. The parent seeking a 
philosophical exemption must include with the statement written documentation signed 
by a health care practitioner verifying that the health care practitioner has reviewed with 
the parent information about the risks and benefits of immunization that is consistent with 
information published by the federal Department of Health and Human Services, Centers 
for Disease Control and Prevention.  The written documentation must be signed by the 
health care practitioner prior to the enrollment of the child in a school. 
Sec. 2.  20-A MRSA §6359, sub-§3, ¶B, as amended by PL 2001, c. 326, §6, is 
further amended to read: 
B.    The student or the parent, if the student is a minor, states in writing a sincere 
religious belief, which that is contrary to the immunization requirement of this 
subchapter or an opposition to the immunization for philosophical reasons. The 
parent seeking a philosophical exemption must include with the statement written 
documentation signed by a health care practitioner verifying that the health care 
practitioner has reviewed with the parent information about the risks and benefits of 
immunization that is consistent with information published by the federal Department 
of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  The 
written documentation must be signed by the health care practitioner prior to the 
enrollment of the child in a school. 
Sec. 3.  Department of Health and Human Services to amend day care 
facility rules.  The Department of Health and Human Services shall amend its rules 
regarding immunization of children in licensed day care facilities to require a parent or 
guardian seeking a philosophical exemption to routine childhood vaccination to present 
prior to enrollment written documentation signed by a health care practitioner verifying 
that the health care practitioner has reviewed with the parent or guardian information 
about the risks and benefits of immunization that is consistent with information published 
by the federal Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control 
and Prevention.  Rules amended pursuant to this section are routine technical rules as 
defined in the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A. 
SUMMARY 
This bill requires a parent or guardian who is seeking a philosophical exemption to 
routine childhood vaccination when enrolling a child in school or a licensed day care 
facility to present written documentation signed by a health care practitioner that the 
health care practitioner has reviewed with the parent information about the risks and 
benefits of immunization that is consistent with information published by the federal 
Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.