HB 0491

CS

CHAMBER ACTION

1	The Health Care General Committee recommends the following:
2
3	Council/Committee Substitute
4	Remove the entire bill and insert:
5	A bill to be entitled
6	An act relating to routinely recommended childhood
7	vaccines; requiring the University of Miami, in
8	conjunction with regional autism centers, to conduct a
9	study; providing the goal of the study; providing for
10	consultation with other schools; requiring a report to the
11	Governor and the Legislature; requiring the Department of
12	Health to prepare a notice to be displayed in specified
13	locations where routinely recommended childhood vaccines
14	are administered to children in a specified age group;
15	specifying contents of the notice; requiring certain
16	health care practitioners that administer such vaccines to
17	post the notice; providing an effective date.
18
19	Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
20
21	Section 1.  Autism study.--The University of Miami, in
22	conjunction with the regional autism centers established under
23	s. 1004.55, Florida Statutes, shall conduct an autism
24	epidemiology study and a review of the current published
25	scientific literature relating to autism. The goal of the study
26	is to gain a better understanding of the prevalence of autism in
27	the state; the unique demographic characteristics of the
28	autistic population; the role that family history plays in the
29	development of autism; the effect of routinely recommended
30	childhood vaccines containing the preservative thimerosal, other
31	environmental exposure to mercury, and exposure to other toxic
32	chemicals on children; and other factors that may have an impact
33	on the development of autism in children. The university may
34	consult with other Florida university medical schools and
35	colleges or schools of pharmacy in conducting this study. The
36	university shall submit a report of its findings to the
37	Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker the House
38	of Representatives by October 1, 2007.
39	Section 2.  Department of Health; administration of
40	routinely recommended childhood vaccines; notice.--The
41	Department of Health shall prepare a notice for display by all
42	health care practitioners as defined in s. 456.001(4), Florida
43	Statutes, who administer routinely recommended childhood
44	vaccines to children under 3 years of age. The notice shall be
45	written in simple language so that it is easily understandable
46	by the general population. The notice shall be made available in
47	both English and Spanish and shall contain, at a minimum:
48	(1)  A statement indicating that childhood vaccines
49	routinely recommended by health care practitioners may contain
50	thimerosal, a preservative that contains mercury.
51	(2)  A statement declaring the official position of the
52	United States Public Health Service on the presence of
53	thimerosal in routinely recommended childhood vaccines.
54	(3)  The Internet website address of the Department of
55	Health pertaining to routinely recommended childhood vaccines
56	and immunizations.
57	(4)  The Internet website addresses of the Centers for
58	Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institutes of
59	Health pertaining to the most current scientific information
60	regarding the use of thimerosal in routinely recommended
61	childhood vaccines.
62	Section 3.  Notice to the public.--A health care
63	practitioner as defined in s. 456.001(4), Florida Statutes, who
64	administers routinely recommended childhood vaccines to children
65	under 3 years of age shall display in the office or location
66	where the vaccinations take place a notice prepared by the
67	Department of Health containing specific information regarding
68	vaccines pursuant to section 2. The notice shall be displayed in
69	a location conspicuous to the public or as required by the
70	department.
71	Section 4.  This act shall take effect January 1, 2007.

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.