H-3783.1 _______________________________________________
HOUSE BILL 2547
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State of Washington 54th Legislature 1996 Regular Session
By Representatives Skinner, Cody, Cooke, Costa, Ballasiotes, Murray, Hatfield and Dickerson
Read first time 01/12/96. Referred to Committee on Health Care.
AN ACT Relating to immunization; creating new sections; making appropriations; and declaring an emergency.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature finds that:
(1) Parents and guardians of children are often unaware of the need for timely immunizations and the public health risks of the failure to be properly immunized.
(2) Physicians often lack up-to-date information on the status of their patients' immunizations, which increases the risks of over and under-immunization that can be costly both in terms of health risks and dollars.
(3) Child profile projects in four counties have been created to address these concerns and provide the information needed to develop a state-wide tracking and reminder system.
The legislature declares that it is in the public health interest of the people of the state of Washington that all children be properly immunized and that a plan be developed to create a state-wide child profile system for tracking data and reminders for immunizations, thus enabling the state to reach the ninety percent immunization rate set forth in the public health improvement plan.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. The secretary of health shall develop a plan for analyzing the progress of the four current child profile counties and making recommendations for expanding the project to other counties. The plan for expansion must take into account the current immunization rate for children between the ages of birth and two, goals set by the local health departments in conjunction with their own public health improvement plan work plans, and estimated population growth. The secretary shall submit recommendations to the appropriate standing committees of the senate and the house of representatives on the proposed timeline for expansion of child profile, with a goal of state-wide coverage.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. (1) The sum of three hundred sixty thousand dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for the biennium ending June 30, 1997, from the general fund to the department of health for the sole purpose of stabilizing the four existing child profile counties.
(2) The sum of . . . . . dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for the biennium ending June 30, 1997, from the general fund to the department of health for the purposes of development of a state-wide immunization tracking and reminder system.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and shall take effect immediately.
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