State Legislative Updates: The Final Days and What You Can Do to Help

State legislatures are beginning the process of winding down their sessions for passing or blocking proposed new laws across the country.  The National Vaccine Information Center has tracked and issued positions on an unprecedented 108 bills across 35 states in the 2013 Legislative sessions.  We are grateful for our NVIC activist supporters in so many states, who have really come through and utilized the information and guidelines we post on the NVIC Advocacy Portal to educate legislators around the country about good and bad bills.
 

There are still a handful of states with later deadlines that have some outstanding bills where your effort to contact your state legislators and educate them could really make a difference in the outcome.  Even if your state is not listed, we could use everyone’s help to contact the families you know in the states where action needs to be taken to let them know about the pending bills and what they can do to help. 

For each of the bills listed, more information is posted at http://NVICAdvocacy.org.
 

Oregon - OPPOSE SB 132

SB 132 completely removes Oregon’s longstanding statutorily protected religious exemption to vaccination (ORS 433.267 (1) (c)) and instead inserts a limited personal exemption controlled by doctors and the health department.  SB 132 forces a parent to use a government issued and controlled form when current law only requires a simple written statement of religious exemption from the parent.  Additionally, SB 132 forces the parent to submit themselves to a lecture by a doctor or state approved health care practitioner about vaccination and obtain their signature on the government form OR to complete a state government defined vaccine education module and obtain and show certification of completion for the exemption to be valid.  If these restrictive new barriers are not fully complied with, the child will be denied an education.  This dangerous bill, the committee report, and the minority report are scheduled to be considered on Tuesday May 28^th in the Oregon Senate. 

SB 132 was specifically requested by the Oregon Pediatric Society with the intention of making the vaccine exemption process more burdensome on parents. It is filed under the false assumption that parents making the decision to delay or decline a vaccine are not “educated” enough on the benefits and risks of vaccination.  
 

New York - OPPOSE A497

A497 allows for children to be vaccinated for sexually transmitted diseases without parental consent. The bill is awaiting a third reading in the Assembly.  

A497 completely ignores the facts that vaccination is a medical procedure using a pharmaceutical product that can cause injury or death and that some individuals are at greater risk for harm from vaccination than others. If a minor child is vaccinated without a parent’s knowledge or consent, the parent will not know how to monitor the child for signs of a vaccine reaction and, if the child dies or is left permanently injured, the parent is legally financially responsible for their child’s care. Many parents (and legislators) do not know that in 2011 the U.S. Supreme Court completely removed all civil liability from pharmaceutical companies selling vaccines and that doctors and other medical personnel giving vaccines to children are also protected from vaccine injury lawsuits.
 

NVIC supports the ethical principle of informed consent to medical risk taking, including vaccination, and defends the legal right of parents of minor children to make medical decisions, including vaccine decisions, for their minor children. HPV and hepatitis B vaccines, as well as vaccines currently in development for other sexually transmitted diseases, such as herpes, gonorrhea, Chlamydia and HIV/AIDS, should not be placed in a special category to allow legally unaccountable doctors or other individuals to persuade a minor child to get vaccinated without the knowledge or consent of the parent.
 

If you would like to see NVIC’s statement of opposition to A497, click here.
 

Please contact your Assembly Member and ask them to VOTE NO on A497.

 

HB 664, an act relative to the NH Vaccine Association, imposes a new, limitless tax assessment on every self-insured business and municipality in the state of New Hampshire to fund the purchase of vaccines.  HB 664 is expected to be voted on by the full Senate on May 30, 2013.  
 

HB 664 puts unpredictable and uncontrollable financial burdens on the people of New Hampshire to fund unlimited vaccine purchases. Vaccines would be purchased for everyone. This could impose pressure to vaccinate everyone for all vaccines regardless of whether someone believes the vaccine is safe, necessary, or even effective. 
 

Please contact your State Senator and ask them to VOTE NO on HB 664.

 

HB 317 would require parents be informed of the ingredients contained in vaccines prior to the vaccine being administered to a child under the age of 7.   HB 317 has been referred to the House Health Care Committee. 
 

In spite of the vaccine safety informing, recording and reporting provisions included in the federal National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act of 1986, many doctors and other medical personnel administering vaccines to children don’t take the time to fully educate parents about the vaccines they give.  This bill would legally require a vaccine administrator to inform parents about the ingredients contained in each vaccine.  This is needed because some children are allergic to certain ingredients and some ingredients have a documented history of causing serious health problems.  Parents need to be given this information to help them make an informed decision about each vaccine they are considering for their child.

Please contact members of the House Health Care Committee and your State Representative and ask them to SUPPORT HB 317.
 

Wisconsin - SUPPORT Draft LRB0020 (no flu vaccine mandates for employees)

Draft LRB0020 (no flu vaccine mandates for employees) prohibits employers from requiring employees to get a flu shot.  This draft is about to be assigned a bill number and needs our full support through the legislature. 

This is a much needed piece of legislation to slow down the freight train of employer based vaccine mandates.  We have heard from healthcare workers around the country who have had their jobs threatened and terminated for declining annual flu shots or other vaccines, even when they have medical reasons for refusing one or more vaccines.  

If you have experienced threats to or loss of your job due to employer based vaccine mandates, please share your story with us on our NVIC Cry for Vaccine Freedom Wall.  We may be able to use it to help educate legislators.

Please contact your State Representative and Senator and ask them to SUPPORT Draft LRB0020 (no flu vaccine mandates for employees). Check back on the NVIC Advocacy Portal for a bill number assignment.

Register for the NVIC Advocacy Portal Today
 

If you haven’t already, please take a minute to register for the NVIC Advocacy Portal at http://NVICAdvocacy.org.  It is a free public service of the National Vaccine information center designed and operated specifically to help protect vaccine exemptions and your right to make independent and educated vaccination decisions. You will receive email updates when action is needed in your state, and you can log in anytime and view current information on pending legislation that affects your informed consent rights.

 

• Jun. 6-7, Sep. 5-6, and Dec. 5-6, 2013: Meeting dates for the Advisory Commission on Childhood Vaccines 
• Jun. 11-12, and Sep. 10-11, 2013:  Meeting dates for the National Vaccine Advisory Committee. Meetings are open to members of the public.   
• Jun. 19-20, and Oct. 23-24, 2013: Meeting dates for the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices and pre-registration is required - deadline Feb. 4.  
• Sep. 18-19 and Nov. 13-14, 2013: Tentative meeting dates for the Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee.