BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center                                                                                                      S.B. 1937

                                                                                                                                By: Van de Putte

Health & Human Services

4/14/2007

As Filed

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

Studies indicate that increasing influenza vaccination rates among school-aged children helps protect the health of the community. Influenza illness is significant in healthy persons outside high-risk groups identified by U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, including unvaccinated school-aged children who spread the influenza virus to their families, high risk groups, and the entire community.  Increasing influenza vaccination promotes a cost-effective means of influenza prevention that reduces disease burden in vaccinated children and their transmission rates to others. Currently, there is no statutory mandate for a school-based influenza vaccination pilot program.

As proposed, S.B. 1937 requires the Department of State Health Services (DSHS) to establish a school-based influenza vaccination pilot program in certain schools. The bill also enables DSHS to seek, receive, and spend money received through an appropriation, grant, donation, or reimbursement from anypublic or private source to implement the pilot program.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

Rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission in SECTION 1 of this bill.

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  (a)  Requires the Department of State Health Services (DSHS) to establish a school-based influenza vaccination pilot program in certain school districts.

(b)  Requires the executive commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission to adopt rules to administer a school-based influenza vaccination pilot program established under this section.

(c)   Requires DSHS to submit to the governor, lieutenant governor, speaker of the house of representatives, and presiding officers of each standing committee of the legislature with jurisdiction over DSHS a written report containing the results and the department's recommendations to continue, expand, or terminate the program, not later than January 1, 2009.

(d)  Authorizes DSHS to seek, receive, and spend money received through an appropriation, grant, donation, or reimbursement from any public or private source to implement the pilot program.

(e)  Provides that this Act expires September 1, 2009.

SECTION 2.  Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2007.