School-entry health examinations; immunization against communicable diseases; exemptions; duties of Department of Health.

(1) Each district school board and the governing authority of each private school shall require that each child who is entitled to admittance to kindergarten, or is entitled to any other initial entrance into a public or private school in this state, present a certification of a school-entry health examination performed within 1 year before enrollment in school. Each district school board, and the governing authority of each private school, may establish a policy that permits a student up to 30 school days to present a certification of a school-entry health examination. Children and youths who are experiencing homelessness and children who are known to the department, as defined in s. 39.0016, shall be given a temporary exemption for 30 school days. Any district school board that establishes such a policy shall include provisions in its local school health services plan to assist students in obtaining the health examinations. However, a child shall be exempted from the requirement of a health examination upon written request of the parent of the child stating objections to the examination on religious grounds.

(2) The State Board of Education, subject to the concurrence of the Department of Health, shall adopt rules to govern medical examinations and immunizations performed under this section.

(3) The Department of Health may adopt rules necessary to administer and enforce this section. The Department of Health, after consultation with the Department of Education, shall adopt rules governing the immunization of children against, the testing for, and the control of preventable communicable diseases. The rules must include procedures for exempting a child from immunization requirements. Immunizations shall be required for poliomyelitis, diphtheria, rubeola, rubella, pertussis, mumps, tetanus, and other communicable diseases as determined by rules of the Department of Health. The manner and frequency of administration of the immunization or testing shall conform to recognized standards of medical practice. The Department of Health shall supervise and secure the enforcement of the required immunization. Immunizations required by this section shall be available at no cost from the county health departments.

(4) Each district school board and the governing authority of each private school shall establish and enforce policies that:

(a) Prior to admittance to or attendance in a public or private school, grades kindergarten through 12, or any other initial entrance into a Florida public or private school, require each child to have on file with the immunization registry a certification of immunization for the prevention of those communicable diseases for which immunization is required by the Department of Health. Any child who is excluded from participation in the immunization registry pursuant to s. 381.003(1)(e)2. must present or have on file with the school such certification of immunization. Certification of immunization shall be made on forms approved and provided by the Department of Health or be on file with the immunization registry and shall become a part of each student’s permanent record, to be transferred when the student transfers, is promoted, or changes schools. The transfer of such immunization certification by Florida public schools shall be accomplished using the Florida Automated System for Transferring Education Records and shall be deemed to meet the requirements of this section.