Bacterial Meningitis (Senate Bill 1107)
Effective January 1, 2012
During the 82nd Texas Legislative session, Senate Bill 1107 was passed (amended by SB 62, 83rd Texas Legislative Session). This bill requires all new students, transfer students, and returning students who have had a fall or spring semester break in their attendance at an institution of higher education to provide proof of bacterial meningitis vaccination (or a booster dose) 10 days prior to the first class day of the entering semester. Without the evidence of vaccination, a student cannot attend classes on campus. This law became effective January 1, 2012.
Students who do not provide the evidence of vaccination (see below) will not be allowed to attend classes and will be dropped from all classes on the first class day. Evidence of vaccination should be mailed to:
Office of the Registrar
2121 E Southlake Blvd
Southlake, Texas 76092
OR
Fax to 817.722.1766
OR
In person at the The King’s University Campus | 2121 E Southlake Blvd | Southlake, Texas 76092
The new law does not apply to the following groups of students:
- Student is 22 years of age or older by the first day of the semester
- Student is enrolled only in online courses or other distance education courses
Entering student includes:
- New student–a first-time student of an institution of higher education or private or independent institution of higher education, including a student who transfers to the institution from another institution;
- Returning student–a student who previously attended an institution of higher education or private or independent institution of higher education before January 1, 2012, and who is enrolling in the same or another institution of higher education or private or independent institution of higher education following a break in enrollment of at least one fall or spring semester.
Evidence of Vaccination–Acceptable evidence of vaccination or receiving a booster dose includes:
- The signature or stamp of a physician or his/her designee, or public health personnel on a form which shows the month, day and year the vaccination dose or booster was administered;
- An official immunization record generated from a state or local health authority; or
- An official record received from school officials, including a record from another state.
Online and other distance education course
A course in which the instructor and students are not in the same location. An online course typically involves web-based instruction, but might also include correspondence instruction. An online or other distance education course that includes a face-to-face component, including meeting in a testing laboratory with other students, or meeting in a classroom to receive interactive video instruction, does not qualify as an online or other distance education course for the purposes of this subchapter.
Exceptions
- A student is not required to submit evidence of receiving the vaccination against bacterial meningitis or evidence of receiving a booster dose if:
- The student is 22 years of age or older by the first day of the start of the semester, or
- The student is enrolled only in online or other distance education courses.
- A student, or a parent or guardian of a student, is not required to submit evident of receiving the vaccination against bacterial meningitis if the student, or a parent or guardian of a student, submits to the institution:
- An affidavit or a certificate signed by a physician who is duly registered and licensed to practice medicine in the United States, in which it is stated that, in the physician’s opinion, the vaccination required would be injurious to the health and well-being of the student; or
- An affidavit signed by the student stating that the student declines the vaccination for bacterial meningitis for reasons of conscience, including a religious belief. A conscientious exemption form from the Texas Department of State Health Services must be used. (Form may be found here.) It takes approximately 2 to 3 weeks to process. The University must receive this from 10 days before the 1st class day.