[Second Reprint]

ASSEMBLY, No. 2821

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

INTRODUCED MARCH 20, 1997

By Assemblymen ROCCO, DeSOPO and Doria

An Act requiring childhood immunizations for hepatitis B and supplementing Title 26 of the Revised Statutes.

    Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

    1. The Commissioner of Health and Senior Services shall require the immunization of a child for hepatitis B as a condition of ²[attendance] enrollment in kindergarten or first grade, whichever is first, and sixth grade² at a public or private school ²[, licensed child care center, nursery school, preschool or kindergarten]² in this State under regulations set forth at N.J.A.C.8:57-4.1 et seq. which stipulate the requirements for childhood immunizations as established by the commissioner. The provisions of these regulations governing the applicability of immunization requirements, proof of immunization, medical and religious exemptions, provisional admission to a school, ²[preschool or child care center,]² documents accepted as evidence of immunization, records required and available for inspection and reports to be furnished to the Department of Health and Senior Services, and the provision of necessary equipment, materials and services for immunizing children ²[at public expense]² by a board of education or a local board of health, shall apply to immunizations for hepatitis B.

    2. Beginning with the ¹[1997-98] ²[1998-99¹] 1999-2000²school year, a principal, director or other person in charge of a public or private school ²[, licensed child care center, nursery school, preschool or kindergarten]² in this State shall not knowingly admit or retain ²in kindergarten, first or sixth grade² a child whose parent or guardian has not submitted acceptable evidence of the child's immunization for hepatitis B as provided by regulation of the Commissioner of Health and Senior Services.

    3. A child ²[born on or after the effective date] subject to section 1² of this act, unless medically contraindicated, shall receive ²[three doses of a live hepatitis B vaccine, or a vaccine combination containing live hepatitis B vaccine, administered as follows:

    (1) the first dose recommended at birth but no later than two months of age;

    (2) the second dose at two months of age if the first dose has been administered between birth and one month of age, but no earlier than one month after the first dose; and

    (3) the third dose no earlier than two months after the second dose and four months after the first dose, but no earlier than six months of age] a hepatitis B vaccine according to guidelines for the vaccine as approved by the federal Food and Drug Administration or the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), or a vaccine combination containing hepatitis B².

    4. The Commissioner of Health and Senior Services, pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), shall adopt rules and regulations to effectuate the purposes of this act.

    5. This act shall take effect immediately.

Requires hepatitis B immunization for admission to kindergarten or first grade and sixth grade at a public or private school.