SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1577        FILED ON: 1/14/2009

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 837

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the Year Two Thousand Nine

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An Act relative to voluntary school based influenza prevention pilot program..

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

SECTION 1. A. Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, and subject to appropriation, the Department of Health shall establish a school-based influenza vaccination pilot program.  Participation in the program shall be voluntary on the part of the school district and shall be administered with the consent of the student’s parents or legal guardian.  In implementing this program, the department shall maximize the use of influenza vaccine available through the federal Vaccines for Children Program for eligible children as well as other federal and state resources for influenza vaccine.  The Department may seek, receive, and spend money received through an appropriation, grant, donation, or reimbursement from any public or private source to implement the pilot program.

SECTION 2.  Upon completing the program, the department shall submit a written report on its findings and recommendations to the Committee on Health Care Financing.  The report shall include the following:

(1) An assessment of the benefits of establishing school-based influenza vaccination programs; and

(2) Identification of the barriers to implementing school-based influenza vaccination programs and recommend strategies for removing such barriers; and

(3) An examination of the fiscal impact to the state of school-based influenza vaccination programs.