TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – A new proposal could force a new vaccine requirement for all public school students in Florida.
Senate Bill 1558 is called the Women's Cancer Prevention Act. If passed, it would mandate the HPV vaccine for public school students.
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Students would be required to get the shot between ages 11 and 12. The immunizations would be available at no cost from county health departments.
The proposed legislation received mixed reaction from people in North Florida.
"If you're going to do a mandatory vaccination, it should be across the board, not just for the kids going to public school," Anne England said.
Human papillomavirus is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the United States. 79 million Americans are infected with HPV, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Two types of HPV can cause cervical cancer in women.
The proposed bill would have procedures to exempt a child from the requirement. If passed, the law would take effect July 1, 2018.