MA S1618

Creates a new Chapter 111P establishing a centralized immunization exemption system administered by the Department of Public Health, requiring all exemption requests (medical and religious) to be submitted directly to the department rather than to individual schools

Applies to "covered programs" including child care centers, K-12 schools (public, private, charter), recreational camps, and higher education institutions, with exemptions valid for no more than 1 year from the signature date

Requires covered programs to annually report immunization and exemption rates to the department, which must publish this data by program, school district, and geographic area on its website

Designates programs that fail to achieve herd immunity or fail to report data as "elevated risk programs," which must notify parents within 10 days and may be required to host department presentations on immunization safety

Grants the Public Health Commissioner authority to exclude unimmunized participants from elevated risk programs and from any covered program during an outbreak or epidemic of a vaccine-preventable disease