The Department of Public Health shall promulgate rules and regulations requiring immunization of children against preventable communicable diseases designated by the Director

The Department of Public Health shall promulgate rules and regulations requiring immunization of children against preventable communicable diseases designated by the Director. Before any regulation or amendment thereto is prescribed, the Department shall conduct a public hearing regarding such regulation. In addition, before any regulation or any amendment to a regulation is adopted, and after the Immunization Advisory Committee has made its recommendations, the State Board of Health shall conduct 3 public hearings, geographically distributed throughout the State, regarding the regulation or amendment to the regulation. At the conclusion of the hearings, the State Board of Health shall issue a report, including its recommendations, to the Director. The Director shall take into consideration any comments or recommendations made by the Board based on these hearings. The Department may prescribe additional rules and regulations for immunization of other diseases as vaccines are developed. The provisions of this Act shall not apply if: 1. The parent or guardian of the child objects thereto on the grounds that the administration of immunizing agents conflicts with his religious tenets or practices or, 2. A physician employed by the parent or guardian to provide care and treatment to the child states that the physical condition of the child is such that the administration of one or more of the required immunizing agents would be detrimental to the health of the child. (Source: P.A. 90-607, eff. 6-30-98.)