00                             SENATE BILL NO. 243                                                                         
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 no more than 10 days or 80 hours in                                
06       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).