The bill, S.B. No. 96, introduces new requirements for vaccine administration and strengthens protections for immunization exemptions based on health reasons. It adds two sections to the Health and Safety Code: Section 161.0035 outlines the responsibilities of individuals administering vaccines, which include providing written information on the vaccine's benefits and risks, maintaining records of the vaccine's manufacturer and lot number, documenting any serious health problems following vaccination, reporting adverse events to the federal Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System, and supplying patients with the Vaccine Excipient Summary. Additionally, it establishes that violations of these requirements may lead to disciplinary actions for licensed individuals and allows civil actions for enforcement.

Section 161.0045 focuses on immunization health exemption protections, defining terms such as "health care practitioner" and "health exemption." It prohibits governmental officials from questioning or sanctioning practitioners who grant health exemptions and mandates that various entities, including schools and employers, accept these exemptions and exempt individuals from immunization requirements. Similar to the previous section, violations can result in disciplinary actions, and individuals may pursue civil actions for enforcement. The bill is set to take effect immediately upon receiving a two-thirds vote from both houses or on September 1, 2025, if that vote is not achieved.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: ()