Bill 198 2016

An Act to amend the Immunization of School Pupils Act

Her Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario, enacts as follows:

   1.  (1)  Section 1 of the Immunization of School Pupils Act is amended by adding the following definition:

"nurse" means a member of the College of Nurses of Ontario; ("infirmière ou infirmier")

   (2)  The definition of "physician" in section 1 of the Act is repealed and the following substituted:

"physician" means a member of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario; ("médecin")

   2.  Subsections 3 (3) and (4) of the Act are repealed and the following substituted:

Same, statement of conscience or religious belief

   (3)  Subsection (1) does not apply to a parent who has completed an immunization education session with a medical officer of health or with a medical officer of health's delegate that complies with the prescribed requirements, if any, and who has filed a statement of conscience or religious belief with the proper medical officer of health.

Transitional

   (4)  Subsection (1) does not apply to a parent who, before the coming into force of section 2 of the Immunization of School Pupils Amendment Act, 2016, filed a statement of conscience or religious belief with the proper medical officer of health.

   3.  Clause 6 (2) (a) of the Act is repealed and the following substituted:

  (a)  that the medical officer of health has not received,

           (i)  a statement from a physician, nurse or prescribed person showing that the pupil has completed the prescribed program of immunization in relation to the designated diseases,

          (ii)  an unexpired statement of medical exemption in respect of the pupil, or

         (iii)  a statement of conscience or religious belief in respect of the pupil and confirmation that the parent has completed the education session described in subsection 3 (3); and

   4.  Section 10 of the Act is repealed and the following substituted:

Statements by providers of immunizing agents

   10.  (1)  Every physician, nurse or prescribed person who administers an immunizing agent to a child in relation to a designated disease shall provide to a parent of the child a statement that shows that the immunizing agent has been administered.

Information for M.O.H.

   (2)  Every physician, nurse or prescribed person who administers an immunizing agent to a child in relation to a designated disease shall provide the prescribed information to the medical officer of health for the public health unit in which the immunizing agent was administered.

   5.  Subclause 12 (2) (b) (i) of the Act is repealed and the following substituted:

           (i)  either a statement from a physician, nurse or prescribed person showing that the pupil has completed the prescribed program of immunization in relation to the designated disease or other information satisfying the medical officer of health that the pupil has completed the prescribed program, or

   6.  Subsection 17 (1) of the Act is amended by adding the following clause:

(f.1)  respecting and governing the information described in subsection 10 (2), including, without being limited to, specifying one or more methods by which the information is to be provided, and requiring the information to be provided by such a method;

Commencement

   7.  This Act comes into force on a day to be named by proclamation of the Lieutenant Governor.

Short title

   8.  The short title of this Act is the Immunization of School Pupils Amendment Act, 2016.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The Immunization of School Pupils Act is amended:

    1.   To require parents to complete an immunization education session before filing a statement of conscience or religious belief.

    2.   To expand the categories of persons who may provide statements regarding the administration of immunizing agents.

    3.   To require those who administer immunizing agents to provide information to the local medical officer of health.