Promotes immunity against vaccine preventable diseases by requiring every child at every public and private school in the state and licensed day care center to present before or on each child’s first day of attendance proof of either (a) full immunization, (b) the initiation of and compliance with a schedule of immunization, as required by rules of the state Board of Health, or (c) a certificate of exemption as provided for in RCW 28A.210.090.
Amends current law by extending proof of disease immunity through documentation of laboratory evidence of antibody titer or a health care provider’s attestation of a child’s history of a disease sufficient to provide immunity against that disease constitutes proof of immunization for that specific disease.
HB 1638 amends previous RCW such that a philosophical or personal objection may not be used to exempt a child from the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine.
Amendments:
Updated on 4.12.19:
Adopted amendments:
- Exempts from vaccination requirements an individual who fails to mount a positive antibody response following a complete vaccine series.
- Requires such an individual to be considered a non-responder.
- Prohibited requiring a vaccine as a condition for school or day care attendance, unless it is 100% free from mercury, formaldehyde, and human fetal tissue or DNA.
- Prohibited an employee or volunteer from being on the premises a child day care center if he or she has not provided the day care center with immunization records indicating he or she received the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine or proof of immunity from measles through laboratory evidence of antibody titer or a health care provider’s attestation of the person’s history of measles sufficient to provide immunity against the measles.
- Allows for a child day care center to allow an unvaccinated employee or volunteer on the premises for up to 30 days if he or she signs a written attestation that he or she has received the MMR vaccine or is immune to the measles, but needs additional time to obtain and provide the necessary records.
- Allows for a child day care center to allow an unvaccinated employee or volunteer on the premises if he or she provides the child day care center with a written certification signed by a health care practitioner that the MMR vaccine is not advisable for the person.
- Requires the unvaccinated person to comply with the vaccination requirements if it is determined that the vaccine is no longer contraindicated.
- Requires the child day care center to maintain the documents related to the MMR vaccine in its personnel records.
- Clarified that the reasons for which a health care practitioner may certify that a vaccine is not advisable for a child include, but are not limited to:
- If the child has a biological parent, brother, or sister, with a documented history of immune system problems; or
- A documented adverse reaction to a particular vaccine required by rule of the Board of Health.
- Exempted a child from mandatory vaccine requirements if a parent, legal guardian, or adult in loco parentis signs and presents a written certification that the child has a biological parent, brother, or sister, with either of the following, documented by a health care practitioner:
- A history of immune system problems; or
- An adverse reaction to a particular vaccine required by rule of the Board of Health.
- Requires, in order to exempt a child from mandatory vaccine requirements, that the parent’s or sibling’s history of immune system problems, or adverse reaction to a particular vaccine, be sufficient to make the particular vaccine contraindicated for the child under guidelines issued by the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Senate Amendments (Updated on 4.12.19):
- Removes provisions stating a child may be exempt from vaccine requirements if the child has a parent or sibling with a history of immune system problems or an adverse reaction to a particular vaccine.
- Removes provisions that exempt individuals from further vaccination if they fail to mount a positive antibody response following a complete vaccine series.
Removes the grandfather clause for high school students who currently hold a personal exemption.
