LOUISIANA

REVISED STATUTES
TITLE 17. EDUCATION
CHAPTER 1. GENERAL SCHOOL LAW
PART III. PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND SCHOOL CHILDREN
SUBPART A. GENERAL PROVISIONS

La. R.S. 17:170 (2006)

§ 170 Immunization of persons entering schools, kindergartens, colleges, proprietary or vocational schools, and day care centers for the first time

A.

(1) All persons entering any school within the state for the first time, including elementary and secondary schools, kindergartens, colleges, universities, proprietary schools, vocational schools, and licensed day care centers, at the time of registration or entry shall present satisfactory evidence of immunity to or immunization against vaccine-preventable diseases according to a schedule approved by the office of public health, Department of Health and Hospitals, or shall present evidence of an immunization program in progress.
(2) The schedule shall include but not be limited to measles, mumps, rubella, diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, poliomyelitis, and haemophilus influenzae Type B invasive infections.
(3) The schedule may provide specific requirements based on age, grade in school, or type of school. At its own discretion and with the approval of the office of public health, an educational institution or licensed day care center may require immunizations or proof of immunity more extensive than required by the schedule approved by the office of public health.

B. A person transferring from another school system in or out of the state shall submit either a certificate of immunization or a letter from his personal physician or a public health clinic indicating immunizations against the diseases in the schedule approved by the office of public health in accordance with Subsection A of this Section having been performed, or a statement that such immunizations are in progress.

C. If booster immunizations for the diseases enumerated in the schedule approved by the office of public health are advised by that office, such booster immunizations shall be administered before the person enters a school system within the state.

D. Chief administrators of all elementary and secondary schools, kindergartens, colleges, universities, proprietary schools, vocational schools, and licensed day care centers within this state shall be responsible for checking students' records to see that the provisions of this Section are enforced.

E. No person seeking to enter any school or facility enumerated in Subsection A of this Section shall be required to comply with the provisions of this Section if the student or his parent or guardian submits either a written statement from a physician stating that the procedure is contraindicated for medical reasons, or a written dissent from the student or his parent or guardian is presented.

F. In the event of an outbreak of a vaccine-preventable disease at the location of an educational institution or facility enumerated in Subsection A of this Section, the administrators of that institution or facility are empowered, upon the recommendation of the office of public health, to exclude from attendance un-immunized students and clients until the appropriate disease incubation period has expired or the un-immunized person presents evidence of immunization.

§170.1. Immunizations of persons registering for courses at postsecondary education institutions requirements; exceptions

A.

(1) Except as provided in Subsection C of this Section, for the Fall 2006 semester, quarter, or comparable academic period, a person shall provide satisfactory evidence of current immunization against meningococcal disease as a condition of registration for courses at a public or nonpublic postsecondary education institution.
(2) Except as provided in Subsection C of this Section, effective for the Spring 2007 semester, quarter, or comparable academic period and thereafter, a person entering a public or nonpublic postsecondary education institution for the first time shall provide satisfactory evidence of current immunization against meningococcal disease as a condition of his initial registration for courses at such institution.
(3) Except as provided in Subsection C of this Section, effective for the Spring 2007 semester, quarter, or comparable academic period and thereafter, a person returning to a public or nonpublic postsecondary education institution who was not registered for courses at such institution during the Fall 2006 semester, quarter, or comparable academic period and therefore was not subject to the requirement of Paragraph (1) of this Subsection shall provide satisfactory evidence of current immunization against meningococcal disease as a condition of his initial registration for courses upon returning to such institution.

B. Every public and nonpublic postsecondary education institution shall provide detailed information on the risks associated with meningococcal disease and the availability, effectiveness, and known contraindications of any required or recommended vaccine against meningococcal disease to each person who has been admitted to such institution or to the person's parent, tutor, or legal guardian if the person is a minor.

C. The provisions of Subsection A of this Section shall not apply to the following persons:

(1) Any person who is eighteen years of age or older and who signs a waiver provided by the postsecondary education institution stating that the person has received and reviewed the information provided pursuant to Subsection B of this Section and has chosen not to be vaccinated against meningococcal disease for religious or other personal reasons.
(2) Any person who is a minor and whose parent, tutor, or legal guardian signs a waiver stating that the person has received and reviewed the information provided pursuant to Subsection B of this Section and has chosen for the student not to be vaccinated against meningococcal disease for religious or other personal reasons.
(3) Any person who has submitted a written statement from a physician stating that the procedure is contraindicated for medical reasons or, if a minor, any person whose parent, tutor, or legal guardian has submitted such a statement.
(4) Any person whose course registration is limited to correspondence courses, on-line courses, or any other courses that do not require meeting physically on campus at the postsecondary education institution for any reason or at any time. If such person subsequently registers for courses that meet physically on campus, such person shall be required to provide satisfactory evidence of current immunization against meningococcal disease as a condition of registration for such courses at such institution pursuant to Subsection A of this Section.
(5) Any person who is unable to comply with the provisions of Subsection A of this Section due to a shortage in the supply of available vaccinations against meningococcal disease.

D. Nothing in this Section shall be construed to require any public or nonpublic postsecondary education institution to provide or pay for vaccinations against meningococcal disease.

E. No person shall have a cause of action for damages for injury, loss, or death against the state or any agency, official, or employee thereof or against any postsecondary education institution, its governing authority, or any official or employee thereof for failure to provide the information required by Subsection B of this Section or for any act or omission in
complying with the provisions of this Section.

F.

(1) The provisions of this Section shall be implemented according to rules promulgated by the secretary of the Department of Health and Hospitals including an implementation schedule which shall be based on ensuring a sufficient availability of the required vaccine.
(2) The secretary shall establish a priority of cohorts of students who shall be required to be vaccinated in order to minimize the possibility of an outbreak of meningococcal disease. Such priority shall be established in consultation with the Board of Regents.
(3) The first priority cohorts shall be first-time freshmen and students living in on-campus residential facilities. Such students shall be required to present satisfactory evidence of current vaccination beginning with registration for the Fall 2006 semester, quarter, or comparable academic period as provided in this Section unless the secretary determines that an insufficient supply of vaccine is available. The time by which immunization shall be required for these students in the event of such an insufficient supply and for other cohorts of students to present such evidence to register for classes shall be provided in such schedule.
(4) The secretary of the Department of Health and Hospitals shall provide such rules, including the implementation schedule, to the Board of Regents by not later than August 1, 2006. The Board of Regents shall notify each postsecondary management board and, through such management boards, the chief executive officer of each postsecondary education institution of the requirements of this Section and the rules and schedule for their implementation as provided by this Section.

 

LOUISIANA REVISED STATUTES
TITLE 40. PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY
CHAPTER 1. DIVISION OF HEALTH AND HEALTH OFFICERS
PART IV. IMMUNIZATION REGISTRY

La. R.S. 40:31.11 (2006)

§ 31.11 Purpose

The office of public health of the Department of Health and Hospitals and parish health units are hereby authorized to establish immunization registries for the purpose of improving the immunization rates of the state's children and young adults in order to prevent the spread of diseases at which the immunizations are directed. Registries established in accordance with this Part shall provide for a method of informing the parent, guardian, or registrant when the registrant is due or is late for a recommended immunization and shall serve as a means for persons and institutions that either provide immunization services or are required to ensure that persons are immunized to receive prompt and accurate immunization information. Such persons and institutions shall include but not be limited to public health units, health care providers, schools, and day care centers.

 

La. R.S. 40:31.16 (2006)

§ 31.16 Parental consent; parental responsibility for immunization; exemptions

A.

(1) Nothing in this Part shall be construed to restrict the registry from providing tracking and recall information to the parent or guardian that provides the consent for the child to be entered into an immunization registry.
(2) General consent for treatment and release of information to other providers or to the office of public health shall be considered parental consent for sharing historical, current, and future immunization information. In addition, each immunization provider shall comply with at least one of the following requirements:

(a) Place a poster in the patient registration area notifying parents that the site is participating in the state immunization registry and that childhood data is being shared with the registry.
(b) Provide each parent a brochure supplied by the office of public health describing the purposes of the registry and notifying parents that they can prohibit data sharing by notifying the health care provider not to submit their child's immunization information.

(3) In the event of a public health emergency as declared by the state health officer, including a natural disaster, bioterrorist attack, epidemic, or other event affecting the public health, the requirement to obtain consent for placement on a registry shall be waived for mass immunizations performed in response to such declaration.

B. The immunization record of a child shall be purged from the registry at any time that the child's custodial parent or legal guardian requests, in writing, that the immunization record be purged from the registry.

C. Nothing in this Part shall be construed to mitigate the responsibility of a parent or guardian to have a child of that parent or guardian properly immunized.

D. Nothing in this Part shall be construed to require immunization or tracking of any child otherwise exempt from immunization requirements for medical or religious reasons.

 

LOUISIANA ADMINISTRATIVE CODE

TITLE 51 PUBLIC HEALTH-SANITARY CODE
PART II THE CONTROL OF DISEASES
CHAPTER 7 PUBLIC HEALTH IMMUNIZATION REQUIREMENTS

LAC 51:II.701 (2006)

§ 701. Immunization Schedule

A. Appropriate immunizations for age for regulatory purposes shall be determined using the current immunization schedule from the Advisory Committee for Immunization Practice (ACIP) of the United States Public Health Service. Compliance will be based on the individual having received an appropriate number of immunizations for his/her age of the following types:

1. vaccines which contain tetanus and diphtheria toxoids, including DTP, DtaP, DT, or Td or combinations which include these components;
2. polio vaccine, including OPV, eIPV, IPV, or combinations which include these components;
3. vaccines which contain measles antigen, including MMR and combinations which include these components.

B. A two-month period will be allowed from the time the immunization is due until it is considered overdue. Medical, religious, and philosophic exemptions will be allowed for compliance with regulations concerning day care attendees and school enterers. Only medical and religious exemptions will be allowed for compliance with regulations concerning public assistance recipients. A copy of the current Office of Public Health immunization schedule can be obtained by writing to the Immunization Program, Office of Public Health, 4747 Earhart Boulevard, Suite 107, New Orleans, Louisiana 70125 or by telephone (504) 483-1905 or toll free 1-800-251-2229.

C. [Formerly paragraph 2:025-1] Any child 18 years or under, admitted to any day care center or residential facility shall have verification that the child has had all appropriate immunizations for age of the child according to the Office of Public Health schedule unless presenting a written statement from a physician stating that the procedure is contraindicated for medical reasons, or a written dissent from parents. The operator of any day care center shall report to the state health officer through the health unit of the parish or municipality where such day care center is located any case or suspected case of reportable disease. Health records, including immunization records, shall be made available during normal operating hours for inspection when requested by the state health officer. When an outbreak of a communicable disease occurs in a day care center or residential facility, the operator of said day care center or residential facility shall comply with outbreak control procedures as directed by the state health officer.

D. [Formerly paragraph 2:025-2] On or before October 1 of each year, the operator of each day care center, nursery school, or residential facility enrolling or housing any child 18 years or under, shall submit a preliminary immunization status report of all children enrolled or housed as of that date. Forms for submittal shall be provided by the state health officer, and shall include identifying information for each child, and for each dose of vaccine received by the child since birth. Any child exempt from the immunization requirement shall also be identified, and the reason for exemption given on the form. After review of the form(s) by the state health officer or his or her designee, the day care center, nursery school, or residential facility operator will notify, on or before December 31 of each year, the parent or guardian of all enrolled or housed children, who are not compliant, with the immunization requirement of §§ 701.A and 701.C of this Part.

AUTHORITY NOTE: Promulgated in accordance with the provisions of R.S. 40:4(A)(2) and R.S. 40:5. Also see R.S. 17:170, R.S. 22:215.14, R.S. 40:31.15 and R.S. 44:17.