§ 20-A §6358-3 — Rules; requirements; reports

1.
Rules authorized.
The commissioner and the Director of the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention within the Department of Health and Human Services shall jointly issue rules necessary for the effective implementation of this subchapter, including, but not limited to, rules specifying those diseases for which immunization is required and establishing school record keeping and reporting requirements or guidelines and procedures for the exclusion of nonimmunized children from school. The rules may not include any provision governing medical exemptions. Rules adopted pursuant to this subchapter are routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2‑A except that rules adopted pursuant to this subchapter specifying the diseases for which immunization is required are major substantive rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2‑A.
2.
Local requirements authorized.
Immunization requirements more stringent than the provisions of this subchapter may be adopted by ordinance enacted by a municipality, by regulation of a school board or by policy of a private school's governing board.
3.
Report.
By January 1st of each odd-numbered year, the Director of the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention within the Department of Health and Human Services shall submit a report to the joint standing committees of the Legislature having jurisdiction over health and human services matters and education matters concerning any new developments in the evaluation of vaccine safety and effectiveness. The joint standing committees of the Legislature having jurisdiction over health and human services matters and education matters are each authorized to submit a bill during the legislative session in which the report was submitted.

Legislative History

PL 1983, c. 661, §8 (NEW). PL 2001, c. 326, §3 (AMD). PL 2003, c. 689, §B6 (REV). PL 2019, c. 154, §4 (AMD). RR 2019, c. 1, Pt. A, §17 (COR).