2007 California Health and Safety Code Chapter 1.7. Meningococcal Immunization

CA Codes (hsc:120395-120399)

120395.  (a) The State Department of Health Services shall, no later
than April 1, 2002, develop information about meningococcal disease.
  The information shall include:
   (1) Information about meningococcal disease, including symptoms,
risks, and treatment.
   (2) Notice of the availability, benefits, risks, and limitations
of a meningococcus vaccination, with specific information as to those
persons at higher risk for the disease.
   (b) The department shall make available to each degree-granting
public and private postsecondary institution, upon the request of
that institution, information developed by the department on
meningococcal disease.
   (c) The department shall also send an information notice to each
school district advising each school district of the availability of
information developed by the department, and shall make the
information available to any school district upon the request of that
school district.
   (d) The department may also use the information developed to
design and implement a public awareness campaign about meningococcal
disease to reach members of the population identified as being at
high risk for contracting the disease.



120396.  Each degree-granting public postsecondary educational
institution that provides on-campus housing in the state shall,
beginning with the 2002-03 school year, do all of the following:
   (a) Provide information on meningococcal disease developed
pursuant to Section 120395 to each incoming freshman who has been
accepted for admission to the postsecondary educational institution
and who will be residing in on-campus housing.  The information shall
include a response form with space in which to indicate that the
incoming freshman has received the information about meningococcal
disease and the availability of the vaccine to prevent one from
contracting the disease.  The form shall include space for the
incoming freshman to indicate whether or not he or she has chosen to
receive the vaccination, and a space for his or her signature.
   (b) Require each incoming freshman to return to the postsecondary
educational institution a form with a response as to whether the
person received the information, and whether or not the person
chooses to receive the vaccination.
   (c) Maintain the completed forms received from students in accord
with the institution's health care records policy.
   (d) Nothing in this section shall be construed to require the
postsecondary educational institution to provide the vaccination to
the students.


120397.  Each degree-granting private postsecondary educational
institution that provides on-campus housing in the state shall adopt
a policy to notify all incoming students about meningococcal disease
and the availability of the vaccination, beginning with the 2002-03
school year.  The Legislature encourages those institutions to
consider all of the following in adopting the policy:
   (a) Providing information on meningococcal disease developed
pursuant to Section 120395 to each prospective student who has been
accepted for admission to the postsecondary institution prior to the
student's matriculation into the institution.  The information may
include a response form with space in which to indicate that the
prospective student has received the information about meningococcal
disease and the availability of the vaccine to prevent one from
contracting the disease.  The form shall include space for the
prospective student to indicate whether or not he or she has chosen
to receive the vaccination, and a space for his or her signature.
   (b) Requiring each prospective student to return to the
postsecondary educational institution a form with a response as to
whether or not the person received the information, and whether or
not the person chooses to receive the vaccination.
   (c) Maintaining the completed forms received from students in
accordance with the institution's health care records policy.
   (d) Nothing in this section shall be construed to require the
postsecondary educational institution to provide the vaccination to
students.


120398.  Each public and private postsecondary educational
institution shall maintain the confidentiality of information
obtained pursuant to Section 120396 or 120397 in the same manner as
other confidential student information is maintained by the
institution.  Each institution is subject to civil action and
criminal penalties for the wrongful disclosure of the information, in
accordance with other provisions of law.



120399.  No provision of this chapter shall apply to the University
of California except to the extent that the Regents of the University
of California, by appropriate resolution, make applicable the
provision of the chapter.