SCS/HB 2212 - Under current law, the Department of Health and Senior Services must develop an informational brochure relating to meningococcal disease for students at institutions of higher education. This act requires such brochure to state that immunizations against the disease are available and to include information on all vaccines receiving Category A or B recommendation from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Additionally, the brochure shall include a recommendation that students receive meningococcal vaccines in accordance with the Advisory Committee's guidelines. Under current law, every public institution of higher education in Missouri must require all students residing in on-campus housing to have received the meningococcal vaccine, unless an exemption applies. This act would require all such students to have received the vaccine not more than 5 years prior to enrollment and in accordance with the latest recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Additionally, this act defines "on-campus" housing as including any fraternity or sorority residence, privately owned or not, on or near the campus of a public institution of higher education.
These provisions are identical to provisions in HB 2616 (2016) and substantially similar to provisions in SB 1005 (2016).
Under current law, certain individuals are required to report certain incidents of abuse to the Department of Health and Senior Services. This act adds first responders, as defined in the act, to the list of mandated reports. Additionally, this act requires reporters to report incidents of bullying to the Department. "Bullying" is defined as intimidation or harassment that causes a reasonable person to fear for his or her physical safety or property and may consist of physical actions, cyberbullying, oral, written, or electronic communication, or retaliation for reporting such acts. This act also repeals the phrase "a person sixty years of age or older" and uses the phrase "eligible adult". An "eligible adult" is defined in the act as a person 60 years of age or older who is unable to protect his or her own interests or a disabled adult between the ages of 18 to 59 who is unable to protect his or her own interests.
This act also repeals certain provisions of law relating to investigations of in-home services elder abuse as conducted by the client's case manager and the reporting of such investigations to the Department of Health and Senior Services' nurse.
These provisions are substantially similar to provisions in SS#2/SCS/SB 590 (2016), HCS/SCS/SB 663 (2016), CCS/HCS/SS/SB 732 (2016), HCS/HB 1765 (2016), and SS#2/SCS/HCS/HB 2332 (2016).
SARAH HASKINS