139A.8  Immunization of children.

1.  A parent or legal guardian shall assure that the person's minor children residing in the state are adequately immunized against diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, poliomyelitis, rubeola, and rubella, according to recommendations provided by the department subject to the provisions of subsections 3 and 4.

2. a.  A person shall not be enrolled in any licensed child care center or elementary or secondary school in Iowa without evidence of adequate immunizations against diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, poliomyelitis, rubeola, and rubella.

b.  Evidence of adequate immunization against haemophilus influenza B shall be required prior to enrollment in any licensed child care center.

c.  Evidence of hepatitis type B immunization shall be required of a child born on or after July 1, 1994, prior to enrollment in school in kindergarten or in a grade.

d.  Immunizations shall be provided according to recommendations provided by the department subject to the provisions of subsections 3 and 4.

3.  Subject to the provision of subsection 4, the state board of health may modify or delete any of the immunizations in subsection 2.

4.  Immunization is not required for a person's enrollment in any elementary or secondary school or licensed child care center if either of the following applies:

a.  The applicant, or if the applicant is a minor, the applicant's parent or legal guardian, submits to the admitting official a statement signed by a physician, who is licensed by the state board of medical examiners, that, in the physician's opinion, the immunizations required would be injurious to the health and well-being of the applicant or any member of the applicant's family.

b.  The applicant, or if the applicant is a minor, the applicant's parent or legal guardian, submits an affidavit signed by the applicant, or if the applicant is a minor, the applicant's parent or legal guardian, stating that the immunization conflicts with the tenets and practices of a recognized religious denomination of which the applicant is an adherent or member.

The exemptions under this subsection do not apply in times of emergency or epidemic as determined by the state board of health and as declared by the director of public health.

5.  A person may be provisionally enrolled in an elementary or secondary school or licensed child care center if the person has begun the required immunizations and if the person continues to receive the necessary immunizations as rapidly as is medically feasible. The department shall adopt rules relating to the provisional admission of persons to an elementary or secondary school or licensed child care center.

6.  The local board shall furnish the department, within sixty days after the first official day of school, evidence that each person enrolled in any elementary or secondary school has been immunized as required in this section subject to subsection 4. The department shall adopt rules pursuant to chapter 17A relating to the reporting of evidence of immunization.

7.  Local boards shall provide the required immunizations to children in areas where no local provision of these services exists.

8.  The department, in consultation with the director of the department of education, shall adopt rules for the implementation of this section and shall provide those rules to local school boards and local boards.

Section History: Recent form

  2000 Acts, ch 1066, §8

Internal References

  Referred to in § 239B.12, 299.4


Previous Section 139A.7

Next Section 139A.9


Return To Home index


© 2001 Cornell College and League of Women Voters of Iowa


Comments about this site or page? webmaster@legis.iowa.gov.
Please remember that the person listed above does not vote on bills. Direct all comments concerning legislation to State Legislators.

Last update: Mon Jan 22 17:13:42 CST 2001
URL: /DOCS/IACODE/2001/139A/8.html
jhf