Starting tomorrow, it’s the law; Public notices, vaccine restrictions among Del. statutes

[Guest guest]

" While the law has no enforcement mechanism, Mr. Silverman said the

complete prohibition on mercury-containing vaccines for children and

pregnant women beginning in 2008 represents “an aggressive stance” for

Delaware. "

http://www.newszap.com/articles/2005/12/30/dm/sussex_county/dsn05.txt

Published: Dec 30, 2005 - 11:30:54 pm EST

Starting tomorrow, it’s the law; Public notices, vaccine restrictions among

Del. statutes

By Randall Chase, Associated Press

DOVER — Beginning at the stroke of midnight Sunday, a few strokes on a

computer keyboard will allow Delawareans to better stay abreast of what

government officials are doing.

A new law that takes effect Jan. 1 requires executive branch agencies in

Delaware to electronically post meeting agendas and minutes to a central

state Web site.

Other laws that take effect Sunday include a prohibition on making vaccines

with more than a trace amount of mercury available for administration to

young children and pregnant women, and a provision allowing electronic

filing of real estate transactions in county deed offices.

The new electronic reporting law requires executive branch agencies that

fall under the provisions of the state Freedom of Information Act to post

notices and agenda at least seven days in advance of open meetings.

Agencies also must electronically post minutes of open meetings within five

working days of final approval of the minutes.

While many state agencies already post meeting notices on the Web, and a

few post agendas and minutes, the new law will greatly expand the

informational offerings electronically available to the public.

“I think it’s a tremendous service, particularly the online access to

minutes,” said Flaherty, lobbyist for the government watchdog group

Common Cause. “I think it’s a tremendous increase in the public access to

state agencies.”

Ed McNeeley, information resources architect for state Government

Information Center, which is charged with maintaining the central calendar,

said only minor tweaks had to be made to the system to accommodate the new

law.

“There were a few changes made, but not many,” he said. “We didn’t reinvent

the wheel.”

Among the changes is a new process under which an agency will get an e-mail

reminder if minutes are not posted to the Web site within 30 days of a

meeting. McNeeley said the 30-day period may be subject to change, given

that some government bodies do not meet every month.

“We ran a number of (training) sessions in November to make agencies

comfortable with the application,” said Mr. McNeeley, adding that the

system is set up to allow individual agencies to have links to central Web

site that highlight their own events.

While large agencies such as the Department of Natural Resources and

Environmental Control already provide a significant amount of information

online, the new law also applies to smaller entities, such as the myriad

boards and commissions overseen by the Division of Professional Regulation.

Currently, very few of the 32 DPR boards and commissions, which range from

the Commission on Adult Entertainment Establishments to the Board of

Podiatry, publish meeting agendas or minutes online.

“We do expect that will change,” Mr. McNeeley said.

DPR deputy director Kay Warren said agency employees have been trained and

are prepared to comply with the reporting requirements.

“We are ready to implement that law,” she said.

The new law regarding vaccines was passed in the waning hours of this

year’s legislative session amid a nationwide debate over whether thimerosal

and other mercury-containing preservatives in vaccines may be linked to

childhood autism.

Effective Jan. 1, no vaccine that contains more than a trace amount of

mercury, other than flu vaccine, can be made available to medical providers

in Delaware for administration to pregnant women and children under eight

years old.

The prohibition on anything more than a trace amount of mercury, currently

defined by the federal government as one microgram or less, extends to the

flu vaccine effective Jan. 1, 2007. The law will prohibit administration of

vaccines containing any mercury to pregnant women and young children

beginning in 2008.

None of the prohibitions on mercury-containing vaccines would apply during

declared epidemics or states of emergency.

The state Division of Public Health sent letters to medical providers on

Oct. 3 to remind them of the new law.

DPH deputy director Silverman noted that after Jan. 1, medical

providers still will be allowed to administer mercury-containing vaccines

they have on hand, but that they cannot accept any new shipments of

vaccines with more than a trace amount of mercury.

“The bill says only that it can’t be made available to the providers, but

if they have some left over, they can use it up,” he said, noting that the

same caveat applies to the flu vaccine next year.

Mr. Silverman said three vaccines, all manufactured by Sanofi pasteur, will

be affected by the law in 2006. One is a combined diptheria-tetanus

vaccine, the others are a tetanus toxoid and a vaccine for bacterial

meningitis.

By 2008, 11 vaccine products would no longer be available in Delaware under

the law, Mr. Silverman said.

While the law has no enforcement mechanism, Mr. Silverman said the complete

prohibition on mercury-containing vaccines for children and pregnant women

beginning in 2008 represents “an aggressive stance” for Delaware.

“The vaccine companies are aware that there is a trend toward this kind of

legislation,” he said.

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Sheri Nakken, R.N., MA, Hahnemannian Homeopath

Vaccination Information & Choice Network, Nevada City CA & Wales UK

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