Carlucci Bill Aims To Keep Children Safe From Measles At Summer Camp

With a few days left in the state legislative session, Sen. David Carlucci of New City, whose district includes Rockland and parts of Northern Westchester, is seeking to ensure that children attending summer camp will be safe from the measles and other contagious diseases.

State Sen. David Carlucci speaking at Thursday's Albany press conference with Susie Luper, left and Sen.Brad Hoylman, D-Manhattan, on the right.
Photo Credit: *Provided*

New state legislation would require about 10,000 summer camps to keep up-to-date vaccination records.
Photo Credit: *Orange County Department of Health*

Jon Craig

06/09/2019 7:00 a.m.

Many parents have no idea that these camps do not have to submit vaccination records to the state.

On Thursday, June 6, Carlucci held an Albany press conference to call for the passage of a new bill to close loopholes in state law that allow about 10,000 unregulated camps to operate without vaccination records.

In the wake of the worst measles outbreak in 25 years, Carlucci introduced Senate Bill 6279. The legislation requires that all children have the proper doses for the following vaccines: measles, mumps, rubella, varicella, poliomyelitis, diphtheria, haemophilus, influenzae type b (Hib), pertussis, tetanus, pneumococcal disease, and hepatitis B. Only children with a medical exemption from a doctor would be exempt.

“We are facing a public health crisis with at least 884 cases of measles in the Hudson Valley and New York City, with the worst outbreaks in Rockland County and Brooklyn," Carlucci said

Currently, camps are allowed to set their own standards on life-saving vaccines, which means camps chose whether to require or recommend specific immunizations to campers.

“We applaud Senator Carlucci for doing the right thing by keeping children safe in regulated and unregulated camps and for bringing uniformity to camp vaccination policies,” said Susie Lupert with the American Camp Association of New York and New Jersey and the NYS Camp Directors Association.

Scott Rosmarin, owner of Rosmarins Day Camp in Monroe, said, "I used to allow children with religious exemptions to attend our camp, but now due to the recent measles outbreaks I do not want this disease to spread and potentially cause children to become sick."

Carlucci’s bill streamlines the law to say all camps must keep up-to-date vaccination records for every camper. If Carlucci’s bill passes the full legislature and is signed into law, it will take effect on Oct. 1.

Last month, Carlucci joined other state lawmakers in announcing legislation to eliminate religious and other non-medical exemptions from vaccines for schoolchildren, as reported here by Daily Voice Plus.

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