New Bill Aims to Ease Vaccine Requirements for Older College Students (Springfield, IL) — A new proposal from State Rep. Anthony DeLuca, D-Chicago Heights, aims to make it easier for older students returning to college to meet vaccination requirements. House Bill 1073, which has recently passed through the Higher Education Committee, would allow greater flexibility for adult students in meeting immunization requirements, particularly those for the tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis (Tdap) vaccine.
DeLuca introduced the bill after hearing concerns from constituents about the challenges older students face when trying to provide vaccine documentation. “When adults choose to attend college later in life, they sometimes run into unexpected hurdles with vaccine requirements,” DeLuca explained. “This is often easy to handle when you’re young, but if you’re older you may not have access to complete records, or your old doctor’s office may be closed.”
Currently, the College Student Immunization Act requires students to have received three or more doses of the Tdap vaccine before starting classes. However, this regulation follows the vaccination schedule for younger individuals, making it difficult for older students who may not have documentation of their childhood immunizations.
DeLuca’s bill would change this by allowing adult students to provide proof of a single Tdap dose within the past 10 years, rather than the full three doses required under the current law. Students who are missing additional doses can catch up on their immunizations while enrolled.
“Most people impacted already received the recommended number of doses in their youth, and shouldn’t be slowed down by not having old paperwork,” DeLuca said. He expressed hope that the measure would provide adult students with more opportunities to pursue higher education without being hindered by outdated vaccine requirements.
The bill received bipartisan support in the Higher Education Committee and is now set to be considered by the full House of Representatives. If passed, the measure could help thousands of older adults looking to return to school by easing the documentation burden.
New Bill Aims to Ease Vaccine Requirements for Older College Students
