ORS 433.267: Immunization of school children; rules; exceptions; effect of failure to comply.

(1) As a condition of attendance in any school or children’s facility in this state, every child through grade 12 shall submit to the administrator, unless the school or facility the child attends already has on file a record that indicates that the child has received immunizations against the restrictable diseases prescribed by rules of the Oregon Health Authority as provided in ORS 433.273, one of the following: (a) A document signed by the parent, a practitioner of the healing arts who has within the scope of the practitioner’s license the authority to administer immunizations or a representative of the local health department certifying the immunizations the child has received; (b) A document signed by a physician or a representative of the local health department stating that the child should be exempted from receiving specified immunization because of indicated medical diagnosis; or (c) A document, on a form prescribed by the authority by rule and signed by the parent of the child, stating that the parent is declining one or more immunizations on behalf of the child. A document submitted under this paragraph: (A) May include the reason for declining the immunization, including whether the parent is declining the immunization because of a religious or philosophical belief; and (B) Must include either: (i) A signature from a health care practitioner verifying that the health care practitioner has reviewed with the parent information about the risks and benefits of immunization that is consistent with information published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the contents of the vaccine educational module approved by the authority pursuant to rules adopted under ORS 433.273; or (ii) A certificate verifying that the parent has completed a vaccine educational module approved by the authority pursuant to rules adopted under ORS 433.273. (2)(a) A newly entering child or a transferring child shall be required to submit the document described in subsection (1) of this section prior to attending the school or facility. (b) Notwithstanding paragraph (a) of this subsection, a child transferring from a school in the United States must submit the document required by subsection (1) of this section not later than the exclusion date set by rule of the authority. (3) Persons who have been emancipated pursuant to ORS 419B.558 or who have reached the age of consent for medical care pursuant to ORS 109.640 may sign those documents on their own behalf otherwise requiring the signatures of parents under subsection (1) of this section. (4) The administrator shall conduct a primary evaluation of the records submitted pursuant to subsection (1) of this section to determine whether the child is entitled to begin attendance by reason of having submitted a document that complies with the requirements of subsection (1) of this section. (5) If the records do not meet the initial minimum requirements established by rule, the child may not be allowed to attend until the requirements are met. If the records meet the initial minimum requirements, the child shall be allowed to attend. (6) At the time specified by the authority by rule, records for children meeting the initial minimum requirements and records previously on file shall be reviewed for completion of requirements by the administrator to determine whether the child is entitled to continue in attendance. If the records do not comply, the administrator shall notify the local health department and shall transmit any records concerning the child’s immunization status to the local health department. (7) The local health department shall provide for a secondary evaluation of the records to determine whether the child should be excluded for noncompliance with the requirements stated in subsection (1) of this section. If the child is determined to be in noncompliance, the local health department shall issue an exclusion order and shall send copies of the order to the parent or the person who is emancipated or has reached the age of majority and the administrator. On the effective date of the order, the administrator shall exclude the child from the school or facility and not allow the child to attend the school or facility until the requirements of this section have been met. (8) The administrator shall readmit the child to the school or facility when in the judgment of the local health department the child is in compliance with the requirements of this section. (9) The administrator shall be responsible for updating the document described in subsection (1)(a) of this section as necessary to reflect the current status of the immunization of the child and the time at which the child comes into compliance with immunizations against the restrictable diseases prescribed by rules of the authority pursuant to ORS 433.273. (10) Nothing in this section shall be construed as relieving agencies, in addition to school districts, which are involved in the maintenance and evaluation of immunization records on April 27, 1981, from continuing responsibility for these activities. (11) All documents required by this section shall be on forms approved or provided by the authority. (12) In lieu of signed documents from practitioners, the authority may accept immunization record updates using practitioner documented immunization records generated by electronic means or on unsigned practitioner letterhead if the authority determines such records are accurate. (13) As used in this section: (a) “Newly entering child” means a child who is initially attending: (A) A facility in this state; (B) A school at the entry grade level; (C) Either a school at any grade level or a facility from homeschooling; or (D) A school at any grade level or a facility after entering the United States from another country. (b) “Transferring child” means a child moving from: (A) One facility to another facility; (B) One school in this state to another school in this state when the move is not the result of a normal progression of grade level; or (C) A school in another state to a school in this state. [1973 c.566 §2; 1977 c.457 §1; 1981 c.78 §4; 1991 c.255 §3; 1993 c.546 §139; 2001 c.900 §158; 2005 c.343 §3; 2009 c.595 §651; 2013 c.516 §1]