| |
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
|
relating to an exemption from certain immunization requirements for |
|
|
medical and veterinary students. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. Section 161.0041(a), Health and Safety Code, is |
|
|
amended to read as follows: |
|
|
(a) A person claiming an exemption from a required |
|
|
immunization based on reasons of conscience, including a religious |
|
|
belief, under Section 161.004 or 161.0053 of this code, Section |
|
|
38.001, 51.9192, or 51.933, Education Code, or Section 42.043, |
|
|
Human Resources Code, must complete an affidavit on a form provided |
|
|
by the department stating the reason for the exemption. This |
|
|
subsection does not apply to a person claiming the exemption using |
|
|
the Internet-based process under Section 51.9192(d-3), Education |
|
|
Code. |
|
|
SECTION 2. Subchapter A, Chapter 161, Health and Safety |
|
|
Code, is amended by adding Section 161.0053 to read as follows: |
|
|
Sec. 161.0053. IMMUNIZATION EXEMPTION FOR MEDICAL OR |
|
|
VETERINARY STUDENT. (a) In this section: |
|
|
(1) "Institution of higher education" has the meaning |
|
|
assigned by Section 61.003, Education Code. |
|
|
(2) "Medical school" means: |
|
|
(A) a medical school as defined by Section |
|
|
61.501, Education Code; or |
|
|
(B) any other institution of higher education, or |
|
|
school, department, or college of an institution of higher |
|
|
education, that awards medical degrees. |
|
|
(3) "School of veterinary medicine" means any school, |
|
|
department, or college of an institution of higher education that |
|
|
awards veterinary medicine degrees. |
|
|
(b) Notwithstanding Section 51.933, Education Code, or any |
|
|
other law, a student enrolled in a medical school or school of |
|
|
veterinary medicine may not be required to receive an immunization |
|
|
as a prerequisite to enrollment or participation in a course |
|
|
offered by the medical school or school of veterinary medicine if |
|
|
the student submits to the school's admitting official: |
|
|
(1) an affidavit signed by the student stating the |
|
|
student declines immunization for reasons of conscience, including |
|
|
a religious belief; or |
|
|
(2) an affidavit or certificate signed by a physician |
|
|
licensed to practice medicine in the United States stating, in the |
|
|
physician's opinion, the required immunization would be injurious |
|
|
to the health and well-being of the student. |
|
|
(c) An affidavit or certificate submitted under Subsection |
|
|
(b) must be submitted to the admitting official not later than the |
|
|
90th day after the date the affidavit or certificate is notarized. |
|
|
An affidavit submitted under Subsection (b)(1) must be on a form |
|
|
described by Section 161.0041. |
|
|
(d) A student who has not received an immunization required |
|
|
by a medical school or school of veterinary medicine for a reason |
|
|
described by Subsection (b) may not be excluded from school during a |
|
|
public health disaster or emergency declared by the commissioner of |
|
|
state health services because of the student's immunization status. |
|
|
SECTION 3. Section 161.0053, Health and Safety Code, as |
|
|
added by this Act, applies beginning with the 2025-2026 academic |
|
|
year. |
|
|
SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
|
|
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
|
|
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
|
|
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
|
|
Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |