This bill mandates the identification and study of infant fatalities and near fatalities potentially linked to vaccinations. It requires that in cases of sudden or unexpected infant death, the physician of record must complete a Sudden Unexplained Infant Death Investigation Reporting Form (SUIDI form), which includes a record of all vaccines administered to the infant in the six months prior to death. This form must be submitted to the Child Fatality and Near Fatality Review Board within ten days of completion. The board is tasked with using this information to identify fatalities and near fatalities that may have resulted from vaccinations and to conduct ongoing studies on the effects of vaccination on infant mortality.

Additionally, the bill amends existing law to enhance the board's responsibilities, including the identification of fatalities and near fatalities among infants that may be linked to prior vaccinations. It establishes that at least one community-based review team will focus on these cases. The board is also required to prepare a report within one year of the bill's enactment, detailing findings on vaccination-related infant fatalities and near fatalities, as well as recommendations for legislative actions to mitigate these occurrences. Supplemental reports are to be submitted every five years to track the implementation of recommendations and their impact on vaccination-related infant mortality.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 9:6-8.90, 9:6-8.91