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S 1618

Enacts the "New York affordable drug manufacturing act"

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Cordell Cleare and 5 co-sponsors

Establishes MA Chapter 111P to standardize immunization requirements for schools, childcare, camps, and higher ed, with DPH administering schedules and exemptions.

REFERRED TO HEALTH
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Bill Summary · S 1618

Bill Summary — S 1618 (as provided)

Note: The bill text supplied with S 1618 is for a Massachusetts “Community Immunity Act” (chapter 111P) addressing school and childcare immunization requirements. The bill metadata you provided (title “New York affordable drug manufacturing act” and some sponsor names) appears inconsistent with that text. This summary reflects the content of the bill text (Community Immunity Act). Any discrepancies in title, sponsors, or jurisdiction should be verified against the official legislative source.

Purpose

To strengthen statewide immunization requirements and standardize exemption processes for schools, childcare programs, camps, and institutions of higher education by creating a new statutory chapter (Chapter 111P — Community Immunity) administered by the Department of Public Health.

Key provisions and changes

  • Inserts a new Chapter 111P, titled the Community Immunity Act.
  • Amends Chapter 76 to require all schools and institutions of higher learning to comply with Chapter 111P.
  • Directs the Department of Public Health (DPH) to administer chapter 111P (amends section 24N of chapter 111).
  • Defines covered programs: child care centers, early education, family child care homes, public/private/charter K–12 schools and related activities, recreational camps, and public/private higher education institutions.
  • Enrollment record requirements: to enroll in a covered program, participants must have one of:
    • Documentation of immunizations per the DPH schedule;
    • A DPH-issued exemption acknowledgement;
    • Evidence that the participant is in the process of obtaining required immunizations;
    • For public schools, evidence the family moved into the Commonwealth within 90 days and is making a good‑faith effort to obtain documentation or an exemption; or
    • Evidence that more than 30 days have passed since a declaration of exemption form was submitted to DPH.
  • Exemptions: two types permitted —
    • Medical: based on provider judgment; the declaration form must include a checklist of contraindications, provider–patient relationship statement, provider signature, provider’s government‑issued professional ID number, responsible adult signature, and dated signatures.
    • Religious: requires a signed declaration by the responsible adult certifying a sincere religious belief, provision of the declaration to the participant’s primary health care provider, an acknowledgement of receipt from a provider on the primary care team, and a dated signature. The form must include a DPH statement warning that refusal to immunize is against public health policy and may result in serious illness or death.
  • DPH must prepare and publish standardized exemption declaration forms and make them available online and in hard copy; covered programs must provide forms on request.
  • Private covered programs may adopt stricter immunization policies (must publish a written immunization policy) but may not refuse medical exemptions.

Who is affected

  • Students and participants in childcare, K–12 schools, camps, and higher education in the Commonwealth.
  • Parents, guardians, emancipated minors, and adult participants (responsible adults).
  • Health care providers who must complete elements of exemption forms and verify provider–patient relationships.
  • Public health authority (DPH) required to implement, maintain schedules, and issue/acknowledge exemptions.
  • Private education/childcare operators (subject to ability to adopt stricter policies and disclosure requirements).

Administration & implementation details

  • DPH establishes the immunization schedule consistent with generally accepted medical practice.
  • Standardized forms and online availability are required. Covered programs only provide forms upon request.
  • The act repeals section 15D of chapter 76 and replaces sections 15 and 15C to point to compliance with chapter 111P.

Procedural status (per supplied actions)

  • Bill docketed as Senate No. 1618 (filed 1/17/2025 in MA Senate).
  • Referred to Public Health and Finance committees; hearings scheduled (hearing noted for 06/06/2025).
  • Reported and passed in the Senate (passed 05/20/2025) and delivered to the Assembly; referred to Health in the Assembly.
  • A new draft accompanied the measure as S2623 (10/14/2025).

Notes and caveats

  • The bill text is Massachusetts legislation focused on immunization policy. If your intent was to summarize a New York affordable drug manufacturing bill, or if sponsor lists/metadata point to a different jurisdiction or topic, please provide the correct text or confirm which version to summarize.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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