Public Act 095-0409
 
SB0133 Enrolled LRB095 07396 KBJ 27539 b

    AN ACT concerning public health.
 
    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
 
    Section 5. The Mercury-Free Vaccine Act is amended by
changing Sections 5 and 10 and by adding Section 15 as follows:
 
    (410 ILCS 51/5)
    Sec. 5. Banned mercury-containing vaccines.
    (a) Commencing January 1, 2006, a person shall not be
vaccinated with a mercury-containing vaccine that contains
more than 1.25 micrograms of mercury per dose.
    (b) Commencing January 1, 2008, no person shall be
vaccinated with a vaccine or injected with any product that
contains, or prior to dilution, had contained as an additive,
any mercury based product, whether at preservative or trace
amount levels.
    (c) The Department of Public Health shall implement a
policy to distribute, preferentially, influenza vaccines that
are thimerosal-free or contain only trace amounts of thimerosal
for the immunization of children under the age of 3 who are
participating in the Vaccines for Children program, provided
that the supply of influenza vaccines to health care providers
is not impeded by the exercise of this preference. The
Department shall annually communicate this policy to the
General Assembly and health care providers.
(Source: P.A. 94-614, eff. 1-1-06.)
 
    (410 ILCS 51/10)
    Sec. 10. Exemption. The Department of Public Health may
exempt the use of a vaccine from this Act if the Department
finds that an actual or potential bio-terrorist incident or
other actual or potential public health emergency, including an
epidemic or shortage of supply of a vaccine at a reasonable
cost that would prevent a person from receiving the needed
vaccine, makes necessary the administration of a vaccine
containing more mercury than the maximum level set forth in
subsection (a) or subsection (b) of Section 5 in the case of
influenza vaccine. The exemption shall meet all of the
following conditions:
        (1) The exemption shall not be issued for more than 12
    months.
        (2) At the end of the effective period of any
    exemption, the Department may issue another exemption for
    up to 12 months for the same incident or public health
    emergency, if the Department makes a determination that any
    exemption is necessary as set forth in this Section and the
    Department notifies the legislature and interested parties
    pursuant to paragraphs (3), (4), and (5).
        (3) Upon issuing an exemption, the Department shall,
    within 48 hours, notify the legislature about any exemption
    and about the Department's findings justifying the
    exemption's approval.
        (4) Upon request for an exemption, the Department shall
    notify an interested party, who has expressed his or her
    interest to the Department in writing, that an exemption
    request has been made.
        (5) Upon issuing an exemption, the Department shall,
    within 7 days, notify an interested party, who has
    expressed his or her interest to the Department in writing,
    about any exemption and about the Department's findings
    justifying the exemption's approval.
        (6) Upon issuing an exemption, the Department shall
    remind health care providers to distribute,
    preferentially, influenza vaccines that are
    thimerosal-free or contain only trace amounts of
    thimerosal for the immunization of children under the age
    of 3, provided that the supply of influenza vaccines to
    health care providers is not impeded by the exercise of
    this preference.
(Source: P.A. 94-614, eff. 1-1-06.)
 
    (410 ILCS 51/15 new)
    Sec. 15. Notification. The Department of Public Health
shall annually notify health care providers about the
requirements of this Act and encourage health care providers to
increase immunization rates among persons who are recommended
to receive influenza immunization, using all licensed
vaccines, with preference given to influenza vaccines that are
thimerosal-free or contain only trace amounts of thimerosal.
The Department shall include this annual notification on its
Internet web site. The Department shall annually report to the
General Assembly, on or before December 31, on its efforts to
inform health care providers about thimerosal-free vaccines.
The Department shall notify health care providers about the
availability of influenza vaccines and the most effective time
for persons to be vaccinated.