HB538 Alabama 2010 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Joseph C. Mitchell

Democrat

Co-Sponsors

James O. GordonYvonne KennedyKen Guin

Session

Regular Session 2010

Title

Human papillomavirus, State Board of Health required to provide information regarding to parents or guardians of sixth grade female students

Summary

HB538 would require the State Board of Health to provide parents of sixth-grade girls with information about HPV and vaccination, and would require schools to share that information and collect a written acknowledgment without preventing enrollment if the acknowledgment isn’t provided.

What This Bill Does

The State Board of Health must provide information to parents/guardians of entering sixth-grade female students about the link between HPV and cervical cancer, the availability of the HPV vaccine, and related topics (including Pap smears and how HPV is spread). Schools would then may require a written statement within 20 school days confirming receipt of the information and detailing immunization status or decisions. A student cannot be denied enrollment, attendance, or graduation solely because the written statement was not provided. The act becomes law on the first day of the third month after passage, with information distribution by October 1, 2010 as specified in the bill.

Who It Affects

• Parents or guardians of sixth-grade female students will receive information about HPV and vaccination and may need to submit a written acknowledgment or indicate immunization decisions.
• Schools with sixth-grade female students will distribute the information, request the written acknowledgment within 20 school days, and collect information about immunization decisions (or lack thereof).

Key Provisions

• The State Board of Health must provide information to parents/guardians about HPV infection, its link to cervical cancer, the HPV vaccine, its effectiveness, the ongoing importance of Pap smears, how HPV is transmitted, and contact with health care providers for questions.
• Schools may require parents/guardians to provide a written statement within 20 school days after the first day of school confirming they received the information and detailing whether the student has been immunized, has chosen not to be immunized, or has chosen not to provide the information.
• No student can be barred from enrolling, attending, or graduating from school solely because they did not provide the written statement.
• The act becomes law on the first day of the third month after passage, with distribution of information to begin on or after October 1, 2010.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 25, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Health