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An Act Relating to Exemption from Immunization for Schoolchildren
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 20-A MRSA §6355, as amended by PL 2001, c. 326, §2, is further amended to read:
§ 6355.Enrollment in school
A superintendent may not permit any child to be enrolled in or to attend school without a certificate of immunization for each disease or other acceptable evidence of required immunization or immunity against the disease, except as follows.if:
 
1. Written assurance.   The parent provides a written assurance the child will be immunized within 90 days by private effort or provides, where applicable, a written consent to the child's immunization by a health officer, physician, nurse or other authorized person in public or private employ.;
 
2. Medical exemption.   The parent or the child provides a physician's written statement that immunization against one or more of the diseases may be medically inadvisable.; or
 
3. Philosophical or religious exemption.   The parent states in writing a sincere religious belief that is contrary to the immunization requirement of this subchapter or an opposition to the immunization for philosophical reasons.
For a child excepted under subsection 1, 2 or 3, a school health provider as defined in section 6359, subsection 1, paragraph G-1 shall provide to a parent of the child information about the benefits and risks of immunization and sign a statement that the immunization information was provided to the parent. The signed statement must be included in the child's immunization records maintained by the superintendent under section 6357, subsection 1.
 
SUMMARY
This bill requires that a school health care provider provide to the parent of a child excepted from the immunization requirements for schoolchildren in the State information about the benefits and risks of immunization and sign a statement that the information has been provided to the parent.