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TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 44-29-187 SO AS TO ENACT THE "CERVICAL CANCER PREVENTION ACT"; TO PROVIDE THAT BEGINNING WITH THE 2012-2013 SCHOOL YEAR, THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL SHALL OFFER AS AN OPTION THE CERVICAL CANCER VACCINE SERIES TO FEMALE STUDENTS ENROLLING IN THE SEVENTH GRADE; TO PROVIDE THE STUDENT MAY ONLY RECEIVE THESE VACCINATIONS AT THE OPTION OF THE PARENT OR GUARDIAN OF THE CHILD; TO PROVIDE A PROCEDURE THROUGH WHICH A PARENT OR GUARDIAN MAY EXERCISE THE OPTION FOR THEIR CHILD TO RECEIVE THESE VACCINATIONS; TO REQUIRE A RELATED EDUCATION PROGRAM; AND TO PROVIDE THAT IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS SECTION IS CONTINGENT UPON STATE AND FEDERAL FUNDING.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:
SECTION 1. This act may be cited as the "Cervical Cancer Prevention Act".
SECTION 2. Chapter 29, Title 44 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:
"Section 44-29-187. (A) Beginning with the 2012-2013 school year, the Department of Health and Environmental Control shall offer the cervical cancer vaccination for female students enrolling in the seventh grade in any school, public or private, in this State. No student is required to have the cervical cancer series before enrolling. The parent or guardian of a student may authorize the vaccination of the student by signing and submitting the appropriate form, as provided by the department, to the school indicating that the parent or guardian has received the informational brochure provided for in subsection (B) and that the parent or guardian has elected for the student to receive the cervical cancer vaccination.
(B)(1) The department shall develop and provide to each school district informational brochures concerning the cervical cancer vaccination series and the provisions of subsection (A), specifically mentioning the optional nature of the vaccination.
(2) At the beginning of the school year each school district shall provide these informational brochures to the parents or guardians of all female students in the sixth grade.
(C) For the purposes of this section 'cervical cancer vaccination series' means the human papillomavirus vaccination series.
(D) Implementation of this section is contingent upon the appropriation of state and federal funding to the department to fully cover the costs of providing this vaccine to eligible female students."
SECTION 3. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.
This web page was last updated on December 6, 2011 at 2:00 PM