The bill amends Section 23-1-45 of the General Laws in Chapter 23-1, which pertains to the Department of Health, by creating a "childhood immunization account" within the general fund. This account is designated for the use by the Department of Health to support the childhood immunization program as outlined in § 23-1-44. The bill specifies that up to 15% of the annual revenues from this account may be used for administrative and quality assurance services related to the childhood immunization program and KIDSNET. Additionally, for Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 only, the bill allows the Department of Health to use up to $850,000 from the account to cover services such as the existing PediPRN and MomsPRN information lines, as well as any additional information lines, referral services, or hotlines available to providers or residents in the state. The Department of Health is required to submit a report by March 1, 2025, to the Speaker of the House and Senate President detailing the use of these funds and providing recommendations for support beyond FY 2025.

The bill also establishes a "pandemic medications and equipment account" and an "adult immunization account" within the general fund, with similar provisions for the use of funds and reporting requirements as the childhood immunization account. For FY 2025, the same amount of $850,000 is allocated from the adult immunization account for the aforementioned services. The act is set to take effect on July 1, 2024. The explanation by the Legislative Council clarifies that the act designates the usage of certain funds within the immunization account for the fiscal year 2025.

Statutes affected:
2072  SUB A: 23-1-45
2072: 42-7.4-3, 35-4-27