PREPROPOSAL STATEMENT OF INQUIRY
Subject of Possible Rule Making: WAC 246-105-040 Requirements based on national immunization guidelines.
Statutes Authorizing the Agency to Adopt Rules on this Subject: RCW 28A.210.140.
Reasons Why Rules on this Subject may be Needed and What They Might Accomplish: Washington state's school and child care center immunization requirements are based on national immunization standards set by the advisory committee on immunization practices (ACIP). The ACIP updates these standards annually. To maintain consistency between Washington's school and child care center age and interval immunization requirements and national immunization standards, the reference to the ACIP immunization schedule needs to be updated from the 2008 version to the 2010 version. The 2010 version involves changes to the ages and intervals of certain doses of polio vaccine.
Other Federal and State Agencies that Regulate this Subject and the Process Coordinating the Rule with These Agencies: The superintendent of public instruction: Under RCW 28A.210.150 and chapter 392-182 WAC, provides procedures for schools to verify immunization status of transferring students; under RCW 28A.210.160 and chapter 392-380 WAC, governs the exclusion of children from public schools. The state board of education: Under RCW 28A.210.160 and chapter 180-38 WAC, governs the exclusion of children from private schools. The department of early learning: Under chapter 43.215 RCW and chapters 170-151 and 170-295 WAC, governs the exclusion of children from licensed child care centers. The state board of health (SBOH) and the department of health (DOH) will made [make] sure these agencies have sufficient opportunity to review and comment on proposed changes.
Process for Developing New Rule: Collaborative.
Interested parties can participate in the decision to adopt the new rule and formulation of the proposed rule before publication by contacting Jeff Wise, Washington State Department of Health, P.O. Box 74843, Olympia, WA 98504, phone (360) 236-3483, e-mail jeff.wise@doh.wa.gov. Public notice of rule making and opportunities to submit written comments will be available on the DOH web site www.doh.wa.gov.htm. Interested parties will be notified of rule making and opportunities to provide input through various listservs. Testimony will be taken at a scheduled SBOH public hearing.
August 2, 2010
Craig McLaughlin
Executive Director