Bill > S1759

This bill clarifies and expands the existing statutory exemptions from mandatory student immunizations in New Jersey, specifying that such exemptions can be granted based on either a medical contraindication documented by a licensed physician or a sincerely held religious belief, which must be explained in detail and notarized, and cannot be based on general philosophical or moral objections, or concerns about vaccine safety or efficacy. The bill also requires individuals seeking a religious exemption to receive counseling on the risks and benefits of vaccination from a healthcare professional, and it clarifies that schools and institutions of higher education cannot grant exemptions unless all these requirements are met, while also allowing the Commissioner of Health to suspend religious exemptions during public health emergencies.