Amd §§2164 & 2803-j, Pub Health L; amd §131, Soc Serv L
Requires the administration of certain vaccines for children in accordance with regulations issued by the commissioner, utilizing generally accepted medical standards and based on recommendations of the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Academy of Family Physicians, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the American College of Physicians, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, or other similar nationally or internationally recognized scientific organizations.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
8853
IN SENATE
January 9, 2026
___________
Introduced by Sen. MAYER -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
printed to be committed to the Committee on Health
AN ACT to amend the public health law and the social services law, in
relation to vaccines for children
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Subdivision 2 of section 2164 of the public health law, as
2 amended by chapter 401 of the laws of 2015, is amended to read as
3 follows:
4 2. a. Every person in parental relation to a child in this state shall
5 have administered to such child an adequate dose or doses of an immuniz-
6 ing agent against poliomyelitis, mumps, measles, diphtheria, rubella,
7 varicella, Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib), pertussis, tetanus,
8 pneumococcal disease, and hepatitis B, [which meets the standards
9 approved by the United States public health service for such biological
10 products, and which is approved by the department under such conditions
11 as may be specified by the public health council] in accordance with
12 regulations issued by the commissioner, utilizing generally accepted
13 medical standards and based on recommendations of the American Academy
14 of Pediatrics, the American Academy of Family Physicians, the American
15 College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the American College of
16 Physicians, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, or other
17 similar nationally or internationally recognized scientific organiza-
18 tions.
19 b. Every person in parental relation to a child in this state born on
20 or after January first, nineteen hundred ninety-four and entering sixth
21 grade or a comparable age level special education program with an unas-
22 signed grade on or after September first, two thousand seven, shall have
23 administered to such child a booster immunization containing diphtheria
24 and tetanus toxoids, and an acellular pertussis vaccine, [which meets
25 the standards approved by the United States public health service for
26 such biological products, and which is approved by the department under
27 such conditions as may be specified by the public health council] in
28 accordance with regulations issued by the commissioner utilizing gener-
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD14394-02-6
S. 8853 2
1 ally accepted medical standards and based on recommendations of the
2 American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Academy of Family Physi-
3 cians, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the
4 American College of Physicians, the Advisory Committee on Immunization
5 Practices, or other similar nationally or internationally recognized
6 scientific organizations.
7 c. Every person in parental relation to a child in this state entering
8 or having entered seventh grade and twelfth grade or a comparable age
9 level special education program with an unassigned grade on or after
10 September first, two thousand sixteen, shall have administered to such
11 child an adequate dose or doses of immunizing agents against meningococ-
12 cal disease [as recommended by the advisory committee on immunization
13 practices of the centers for disease control and prevention, which meets
14 the standards approved by the United States public health service for
15 such biological products, and which is approved by the department under
16 such conditions as may be specified by the public health and planning
17 council] in accordance with regulations issued by the commissioner,
18 utilizing generally accepted medical standards and based on recommenda-
19 tions of the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Academy of
20 Family Physicians, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecolo-
21 gists, the American College of Physicians, the Advisory Committee on
22 Immunization Practices, or other similar nationally or internationally
23 recognized scientific organizations.
24 § 2. Paragraph (a) of subdivision 5 of section 2803-j of the public
25 health law, as added by chapter 62 of the laws of 1996, is amended to
26 read as follows:
27 (a) The commissioner shall establish an immunization schedule for
28 newborn children. The immunization schedule shall chart out recommended
29 immunizations against certain diseases and illnesses and age-appropriate
30 times for the administration of each immunization. The immunization
31 schedule shall also include information on the importance of getting
32 children immunized at the recommended ages. The immunization schedule
33 shall also include the toll-free telephone number operated by the
34 department as part of its immunization education efforts. The immuniza-
35 tion schedule shall be in accordance with [recommendations established
36 by the New York state department of health and the immunization prac-
37 tices advisory committee of the United States department of health and
38 human services] regulations issued by the commissioner, utilizing gener-
39 ally accepted medical standards and based on recommendations of the
40 American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Academy of Family Physi-
41 cians, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the
42 American College of Physicians, the Advisory Committee on Immunization
43 Practices, or other similar nationally or internationally recognized
44 scientific organizations.
45 § 3. Subdivision 13 of section 131 of the social services law, as
46 added by chapter 61 of the laws of 1996, is amended to read as follows:
47 13. Social services districts shall provide all applicants and recipi-
48 ents of public assistance with children five years of age or less with
49 information and a schedule regarding age-appropriate immunizations for
50 children in accordance with the [recommendations of the department of
51 health and the immunization practices advisory committee of the United
52 States department of health and human services] regulations issued by
53 the commissioner, utilizing generally accepted medical standards and
54 based on recommendations of the American Academy of Pediatrics, the
55 American Academy of Family Physicians, the American College of Obstetri-
56 cians and Gynecologists, the American College of Physicians, the Advi-
S. 8853 3
1 sory Committee on Immunization Practices, or other similar nationally or
2 internationally recognized scientific organizations. The telephone
3 number of the local county health department shall be included on the
4 immunization schedule.
5 § 4. This act shall take effect immediately.
