Thursday, February 25, 2016

NVIC Legislative Update

 

NVIC Legislative Update  

NVIC Advocacy Portal staff report below on 
states with active vaccine related legislation. You can read more about these states on NVIC's Advocacy Portal. Act today!

  • Indiana has a bill to remove the philosophical/conscientious exemption.  NVIC supporters in Indiana oppose this bill and an alert has been issued.
  • Colorado has a hearing on HB 1164 today (Feb. 25). This bill is the first in the U.S. to propose that parents must submit school and daycare exemptions directly to the state health department for health officials' own use, which circumvents federal privacy protections of information in school records! See NVIC's alert to oppose.
  • Hawaii will hold a decision making hearing on SB 2394, a bill to force flu vaccination of health care workers, in the Senate Ways and Means Committee today (Feb. 25) at 9:30 am in conference room 211. Call committee members to oppose!
  • Maryland has two hearings coming up on mandatory HPV vaccines for kids: HB 1178 on Mar. 10 at 1 pm in the House Ways and Means Committee and SB 860 on Mar. 9 at 1 pm in Senate Education, Health and Environmental Affairs.  Read our alert to oppose!
  • Washington has executive sessions tomorrow (Feb. 26)  on SB 5143 - mandatory vaccine education for pregnant families in the House Committee on Health Care and Wellness at 10 am.  See bill information on NVIC's Advocacy Portal.  Government information on vaccines is rarely balanced with risks.  Express your concerns on forced education to your legislators.
  • The South Dakota legislature has passed SB 28, which requires mandatory meningococcal vaccinations for children attending school, and has sent the bill to the governor.  Contact Governor Daugaard and ask him to VETO SB 28. Contact links are on NVIC's Advocacy Portal.
  • The Virginia bill, HB 313, to expand who can give vaccines passed the House and Senate. Now  it is time to contact Governor Terry McAuliffe to veto! Read NVIC's alert on the Advocacy Portal.
  • Congratulations to the state of Oklahoma and the members of Oklahoman's for Vaccine Choice and NVIC Advocacy for successfully fighting SB 1478 to remove the philosophical vaccine exemption.  This bill died in committee on a vote of 6 to 7 on Feb. 22. 
  • Bills are filed or have recently been filed in the following states that NVIC is actively following: CA, MA, MI, MS, NH, NJ, OH, OK, RI!  Bill information is posted has been posted on NVIC's Advocacy Portal. 

Your voice is needed! Register today on  NVIC's Advocacy Portal and state up-to-date with vaccine legislative efforts in your state.