HB 185: "An Act relating to immunization of postsecondary students for meningitis; and providing for an effective date."
00 HOUSE BILL NO. 185 01 "An Act relating to immunization of postsecondary students for meningitis; and 02 providing for an effective date." 03 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: 04 * Section 1. AS 14.48.030(b) is amended to read: 05 (b) Except as provided under AS 14.48.165, the [THE] commission may 06 exempt the following educational programs, and educational institutions only 07 providing programs exempt under (a) of this section and this subsection, from some or 08 all of the provisions of this chapter: 09 (1) a program operated by a state or a political subdivision of a state; 10 (2) instruction sponsored by a bona fide trade, business, labor, 11 professional, or fraternal association or organization, recognized by the commission, 12 and conducted only for that association's or organization's membership; 13 (3) nonprofit postsecondary educational institutions offering 14 undergraduate or graduate educational programs, from a facility in this state, that are
01 acceptable for credit toward an associate, bachelor's, or graduate degree; 02 (4) a program that is provided without a fee, other than the actual cost 03 of materials, to students; 04 (5) a program that does not offer education credentials; 05 (6) a short course of study that is not [NO] more than 10 days or 80 06 hours in duration; 07 (7) a program offered within the state by an out-of-state institution that 08 is authorized to operate by the state in which it is located and is nationally or 09 regionally accredited; 10 (8) a program or institution that is regulated by another agency or 11 political subdivision of the state regarding the quality of course contents, facilities, and 12 operation. 13 * Sec. 2. AS 14.48 is amended by adding a new section to read: 14 Sec. 14.48.165. Immunization of postsecondary students. (a) A 15 postsecondary educational institution in this state shall provide written notice to each 16 student who intends to reside in campus housing before the student's initial period of 17 residence, that includes the following information: 18 (1) meningococcal disease 19 (A) is a serious illness that can cause death within a few hours 20 of onset; one in 10 cases is fatal, and one in seven survivors of the illness is left 21 with severe disability; 22 (B) is a contagious but also largely preventable infection of the 23 spinal cord fluid and the fluid surrounding the brain; 24 (2) scientific evidence suggests that college students living in campus 25 housing are at a moderately increased risk of contracting meningococcal disease; and 26 (3) immunization against meningococcal disease decreases the risk of 27 contracting the illness. 28 (b) A student attending a postsecondary educational institution shall sign a 29 document provided by the institution indicating that the student has received 30 (1) an immunization against meningococcal disease; or 31 (2) the notice described under (a) of this section.
01 (c) Nothing in this section may be construed to require a postsecondary 02 educational institution to provide or pay for immunizations against meningococcal 03 disease. 04 (d) A postsecondary educational institution that has made reasonable efforts to 05 comply with this section is not liable for civil damages suffered by a student who 06 attends the institution, who resides on campus, and who contracts meningococcal 07 disease. 08 * Sec. 3. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section to 09 read: 10 APPLICABILITY. AS 14.48.165(d), added by sec. 2 of this Act, applies to a civil 11 action that accrues on or after the effective date of this Act. 12 * Sec. 4. This Act takes effect immediately under AS 01.10.070(c).