The State Commissioner of Health (hereinafter referred to as “the commissioner”) is authorized and directed, without compliance with chapter 48 of the laws of 1954, to purchase poliomyelitis vaccine supplementing that which may be made available pursuant to conditions of Federal grants in sufficient quantities to inoculate children of this State who shall not have attained the age of 20 years and for whom free vaccine is not available through the auspices of the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis or because of inability to pay the cost thereof. The commissioner shall distribute the vaccine so purchased or acquired under such plan, procedures and regulations as to him shall appear necessary or appropriate to accomplish the objective of providing the vaccine without cost for such children, fairly and equitably, according to priority groups based upon the relative susceptibility of various age groups of children to poliomyelitis as determined by the commissioner and upon such evidence or assurances of use for such children as to the commissioner shall appear to be adequate and consistent with expeditious distribution of the vaccine.

L.1955, c. 69, p. 231, s. 2.