A BILL

TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 44-29-45 SO AS TO ALLOW INDIVIDUALS TO OPT OUT OF CERTAIN VACCINATIONS BASED ON A MEDICALLY DIAGNOSED HEALTH CONDITION OR A RELIGIOUS BELIEF OR PRACTICE.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

SECTION     1.     Chapter 29, Title 44 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:

    "Section 44-29-45.     Any vaccination offered by the Department of Health and Environmental Control as part of any mass immunization project to protect against infectious disease, or to prevent the spread of a pandemic or a contagious or possibly contagious disease, only may be administered to those individuals who do not opt out of the vaccination based on a medically diagnosed health condition or religious belief or practice. For purposes of this section:

    (1)     'Infectious disease' has the same meaning as defined in Section 44-4-130.

    (2)     'Pandemic' means an outbreak of a disease that occurs over a wide geographic area that affects an exceptionally high proportion of the population including, but not limited to, COVID-19."

SECTION     2.     This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.

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This web page was last updated on Wednesday, May 13, 2020 at 3:08 P.M.

Statutes affected:
5/12/2020: 44-29-45