---
title: O.C.G.A. § 31-12-3. Power to require immunization and other preventive measures.
collection: code
id: 31-12-3
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 31-12-3 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/31-12-3
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/31-12-3.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/31-12-3/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/docs/default-source/joint-features-document-library/t31-(v23)-2025-pdf.pdf?sfvrsn=da7ded69_0#page=757
date: 2025
status: active
corpus_version: 2025-supplement-89aa39ab3c68
license: CC0-1.0
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
up: https://georgiacommons.org/code/31-12.md
previous: https://georgiacommons.org/code/31-12-2.1.md
next: https://georgiacommons.org/code/31-12-3.1.md
index: https://georgiacommons.org/code/index.md
version: the only printed version
in_force: true
current_through: Including Acts of the 2025 Session of the General Assembly of Georgia
heading_path: HEALTH / CONTROL OF HAZARDOUS CONDITIONS, PREVENTABLE DISEASES, AND METABOLIC DISORDERS
---

# O.C.G.A. § 31-12-3. Power to require immunization and other preventive measures.

(a) The department and all county boards of health are empowered to require, by appropriate rules and regulations, persons located within their respective jurisdictions to submit to vaccination against contagious or infectious disease where the particular disease may occur, whether or not the disease may be an active threat. The department may, in addition, require such other measures to prevent the conveyance of infectious matter from infected persons to other persons as may be necessary and appropriate. The department shall promulgate appropriate rules and regulations for the implementation of the provisions of this Code section in the case of a declaration of a public health emergency and shall include provisions permitting consideration of the opinion of a person’s personal physician as to whether the vaccination is medically appropriate or advisable for such person. Such rules and regulations shall be adopted pursuant to Chapter 13 of Title 50, the “Georgia Administrative Procedure Act,” but shall be automatically referred by the Office of Legislative Counsel to the House of Representatives and Senate Committees on Judiciary.

(b) In the absence of an epidemic or immediate threat thereof, this Code section shall not apply to any person who objects in writing thereto on grounds that such immunization conflicts with his religious beliefs.

## History

Code 1933, § 88-1203, enacted by Ga. L. 1964, p. 499, § 1; Ga. L. 2002, p. 1386, § 8.

## Law Reviews

For note on the 2002 amendment of this Code section, see 19 Ga. St. U.L. Rev. 1 (2002).