Stop Repeal of TX's New Immunization Conscientious Exemption

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Misty L. Trepke

http://www..com

 

 

HB 89 will repeal the vaccine philosophical exemption!

 

 

Contact: National Vaccine Information Center

Barbara Loe Fisher

703-938-0342

 

for immediate release

July 8, 2003

 

 

PARENT GROUPS SUPPORT NEW TEXAS VACCINE EXEMPTION LAW

 

The National Vaccine Information Center (NVIC) and Americans for

Vaccine Safety and Accountability (AVSA) are joining with the Texas-

based parent organization, Parents Requesting Open Vaccine Education

(PROVE), in voicing strong support for the new Texas vaccine

exemption law. The new law allows parents to exercise a

conscientious belief exemption to vaccination.

 

Together, all three organizations represent more than 200,000

Americans committed to defending the informed consent rights of

citizens to make voluntary health care choices when there is a risk

of injury or death.

 

Parent and health care professional groups are responding to last

week’s outcry by Texas pediatricians and public health officials,

who criticized passage of the new vaccine exemption in House Bill

2292, which was signed into law by Governor Rick Perry. NVIC

President Barbara Loe Fisher said “Texas is joining 18 other

states which allow this kind of vaccine exemption, including every

state bordering Texas. These other states are not having raging

epidemics of disease just because they respect a parent’s

right to make educated choices about the benefits and risks of

vaccination for their children. It is a basic human right to be able

to voluntarily decide what you are willing to risk your life or your

child’s life for and Texas should be proud to be among the

enlightened states which recognize this simple moral fact.�

 

Terry Rondberg, D.C., president of the World Chiropractic Alliance

(WCA), which is a member of the lobbying coalition, AVSA, said

“Pediatricians should be welcoming the opportunity to have open

dialogue with parents about vaccination so they can be partners, not

adversaries, with parents in making these important health

decisions. No one should be forced to take a health care risk they

don’t want to take. Only when you own a decision that involves a

risk can you take responsibility for it.�

 

Dawn Richardson, president of PROVE, who back grounded Texas

legislators for seven years about the importance of parental rights

and informed consent to vaccination, said “At a time when

physicians and vaccine manufacturers have lobbied so hard for

further release of liability for the harm they sometimes do, parents

in Texas are grateful to the legislators who have given them back

control over which vaccine risks their child will take. I

was excited to receive a letter from Speaker of the House Tom

Craddick, after the Governor signed the exemption into law stressing

the legislature’s strong support for parental rights.�

 

The Speaker’s letter said in part, “This exemption should

assist parents who are subjected to any harassment at schools and

day care facilities since a signed notarized exemption form will not

be disputable by officials…an additional provision in HB 2292

prohibits any health and human services agency from taking punitive

action against a parent for not immunizing their child. Thus,

parental decisions will be protected and respected in the

future on this issue. "

 

The Texas legislature joins with the Arkansas legislature this past

session in providing parents with the right to conscientious or

philosophical belief exemption to vaccination. Internationally,

there is also acknowledgement of the importance of voluntary

vaccination decision-making. Last month the British Medical

Association released a report which stated, “Parents have a right

to receive unbiased information so that they can make an informed

choice with regard to vaccination of their children….Public health

policies depend on social consensus. The UK government currently

recommends a national immunization schedule which is not

compulsory…. we do not believe that compulsory immunization is in

any way appropriate for the UK but that healthcare professionals

should strive to inform, educate and advise the public about the

overwhelming benefits of vaccination for their children and society

in general.� That report also noted that “across Europe the

trend has been toward greater voluntary participation.�

 

NVIC is a national, non-profit organization founded by parents of

vaccine injured children in 1982. It is the oldest and largest

parent-led vaccine safety group in the US, representing more than

30,000. PROVE is the largest vaccine safety group in Texas,

representing more than 3,500. AVSA represents 14 state and national

organizations, including NVIC, Autism Society of America, Illinois

Vaccine Awareness Coalition, Lyme Disease Foundation, Massachusetts

Citizens for Vaccination Choice, Missouri Citizens Coalition for

Freedom in Health Care, Mothering Magazine, New Hampshire

Citizens for Health Freedom, Osteomed II, PROVE, Unlocking Autism,

Vaccine Awareness of North Florida, Virginia Families for Vaccine

Information and Choice and World Chiropractic Alliance (WCA). WCA, a

member of AVSA, represents 60,000 doctors of chiropractic nationally

and internationally.

 

For more information on vaccine safety and informed consent issues

go to www.NVIC.org and for more specific information on the Texas

law go to www.vaccineinfo.net. To read the BMA article go to:

http://www.bma.org.uk/ap.nsf/Content/PR%

2Dbma+rejects+compulsory+immunisatio

n+%2D+29+Jun+2003?OpenDocument & Highlight=2,childhood,immunisation

 

 

 

-

Dawn Richardson

PROVE(Parents Requesting Open Vaccine Education)

prove (email)

http://vaccineinfo.net/ (web site)

-

PROVE provides information on vaccines, and immunization policies

and

practices that affect the children and adults of Texas. Our

mission is to prevent vaccine injury and death and to promote and

protect the right of every person to make informed independent

vaccination decisions for themselves and their family.

-

This information is not to be construed as medical OR legal advice.

-

Subscribe to PROVE Email Updates:

http://vaccineinfo.net/.htm

Tell a Friend about PROVE:

http://vaccineinfo.net//friends.shtml

 

 

URGENT ALERT TEXAS: REPRESENTATIVE CAPELO TRYING TO REPEAL NEW

IMMUNIZATION CONSCIENTIOUS EXEMPTION

LAW DURING SPECIAL SESSION

 

Oppose HB 89: STOP REPEAL OF NEW IMMUNIZATION CONSCIENTIOUS

EXEMPTION

LAW

 

ATTENTION: House Public Health Committee Hearing

Thursday 7/10/03 at 8:00 a.m. in E2.036 Capitol Extension

 

* Calls, faxes and emails immediately needed to oppose HB 89

* Attendance and testimony needed in Austin at Public Hearing on

Thursday 7/10/03

 

 

Dear PROVE Texas members,

 

Just when parents in Texas concerned about vaccine safety and

informed

consent issues have begun a collective sigh of relief and

gratitude, one Texas representative is using the special session of

the

Texas legislature to attempt to repeal the recently passed

conscientious belief exemption in HB 2292 before parents even get to

use it.

 

HB 89 would, in effect, regress vaccine exemption language back to

the

old overly restrictive, discriminatory, and unconstitutional

religious exemption. If HB 89 is allowed to pass, parents in Texas

would have a mere two months of legal protection to obey their

conscience and follow personally held religious beliefs regarding

vaccination, only to have their rights ripped away from them again on

November 1st. This will be devastating for families trying to

protect

their children from vaccine reactions.

 

If you can arrange to be at the hearing Thursday morning July 10th

at

8:00 a.m., in the Capitol Extension Hearing Room E2.036, it is so

important that the committee see and hear many families opposed to

this

setback to parental rights. Please send me an email note

(prove)letting me know that we can count on you to

be

there.

 

Whether you can be there or not, it is especially important that

everybody immediately contact Governor Perry, House Speaker Tom

Craddick, members of the House Public Health Committee, your own

state

Representative and Senator, and Lieutenant Governor

Dewhurst to oppose HB 89 and to share with them your frustration

over

this.

 

Representative Capelo has been exploiting the sad and unfortunate

experience of one central Texas family whose baby died from

pertussis. Some doctors have been soliciting unfounded inaccurate

negative publicity about the new law.

 

It is extremely important that you, in your communications with

legislators, share your family experiences with vaccine reactions,

and

harassment and discrimination for trying to exercise your right as a

parent to be in control over what vaccine risks your child will take

in

the future. All children are important whether they are hurt by a

vaccine or a disease, and all parents deserve basic human right to

informed consent to a medical procedure that caries the risk of

injury

or death for their child period.

 

1) CONTACT LEGISLATURE

CALL, EMAIL, AND FAX YOUR OWN STATE REPRESENTATIVE AND SENATOR

To see who represents you, link to

http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/fyi/fyi.htm.

Then link to http://www.capitol.state.tx.us and click on

House Members and Senate Members. Contact phone, fax, and

email forms can be found on your Representative's web site

linked under contact info.

 

CALL GOVERNOR, SPEAKER, LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR, AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS

Governor Rick Perry - (512) 463-2000

Speaker Tom Craddick †" (512) 463-1000

Lieutenant Governor David Dewhurst (512) 463-0001

Representative Jodie Laubenberg, vice-chair †" (512) 463-0186

Representative Vicki Truitt †" (512) 463-0690

Representative Glenda Dawson †" (512) 463-0707

Representative Jim McReynolds †" (512) 463-0490

Representative Elliott Naishtat †" (512) 463-0668

Representative Larry Taylor †" (512) 463-0729

Representative Bill Zedler †" (512) 463-0374

Representative Garnet Coleman †" (512) 463-0524

Representative Jaime Capelo, chair †" (512) 463-0462

 

FAX GOVERNOR, SPEAKER, LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR, AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS:

Governor Rick Perry FAX (512) 463-1849

Speaker Tom Craddick †" FAX (512) 463-7722

Lieutenant Governor David Dewhurst - FAX (512) 463-0677

Representative Jodie Laubenberg, vice-chair †" FAX (512) 463-

8391

Representative Vicki Truitt †" FAX (512) 477-5770

Representative Glenda Dawson †" FAX (512) 463-1939

Representative Jim McReynolds †" FAX (512) 463-9059

Representative Elliott Naishtat †" FAX (512) 463-8022

Representative Larry Taylor †" FAX (512) 474-2398

Representative Bill Zedler †" FAX (512) 463-0364

Representative Garnet Coleman †" FAX (512) 463-1260

Representative Jaime Capelo, chair †" FAX (512) 463-9545

 

* For any House faxes that do not work, use (512) 463-5896.

* For any Senate faxes that do not work, use (512) 463-0326.

 

EMAIL GOVERNOR, SPEAKER, LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR, AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS:

Email Governor Rick Perry †" Link to

http://www.governor.state.tx.us/contact

tom.craddick,

David.Dewhurst,

jodie.laubenberg,

vicki.truitt,

Glenda.Dawson,

Jim.McReynolds,

Elliott.Naishtat,

Larry.Taylor,

bill.zedler,

Jaime.Capelo,

Garnet.Coleman,

 

On all calls, please be polite, and respectful. Introduce yourself

and

say where you live.

 

ASK FRIENDS AND FAMILY TO CALL, FAX AND EMAIL

 

 

2) COME TESTIFY IN PERSON at the House Public Hearing of the

Committee

on Public Health against HB 89 by Representative

Jaime Capelo.

 

Thursday, 7/10/03 8:00 a.m. in the Capitol Extension E2.036

Texas State Capitol, at 12th Street and Congress Ave., Austin

Texas

 

You are needed to defend important parental rights and prevent them

from being taken away.

 

When you get to the Hearing Room, pick up a Witness Affirmation Form

and fill it out against HB 89. Make sure you sign the form.

Find a committee clerk to give the form to. Even though HB 89 is

scheduled first on the agenda, you need to know that there is a

possibility they may not get to HB 89 before the House convenes and

goes into session for 10 a.m. If that is the case, the committee

will reconvene shortly after the House adjourns, but hopefully it

will

be heard first and you will be done in the morning.

 

The committee will call on you when it is your turn to give your

testimony. Keep your statement short making sure to explain why this

is important to your family.

 

 

GENERAL INFORMATION:

 

Parking is available in the Capitol Visitors Parking Garage located

between Trinity and San Jacinto Streets. Parking is free for the

first

two hours and $.75 for each half hour thereafter (maximum charge:

$6.00). Metered spaces are available throughout the complex.

 

Directions to visitor parking garage: From IH-35 in Austin, take the

15th Street Exit heading west toward the Capitol. A few blocks

down, take a left onto San Jacinto. The entrance to the Capitol

visitor parking garage is a couple of blocks down on your left on the

intersection 13th Street and San Jacinto. The entrance in on 13th

Street. The Capitol grounds are just 1 1/2 blocks due west from the

front of the garage. (just look up and walk towards the dome of the

capitol.) When you get inside, because it will depend on which

door you go in, ask the security guards for the stairs or elevators

to

get to the Capitol Extension hearing room E2.036.

 

There is a cafeteria available in the Capitol Extension on floor E1.

 

 

SUGGESTIONS FOR EMAILS, FAXES AND TESTIMONY

 

[YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS]

[DATE]

 

The Honorable Representative [LEGISLATOR’S NAME]

P.O. Box 2910

Austin, TX 78768-2910

or

The Honorable Senator [LEGISLATOR’S NAME]

P.O. 12068

Austin, TX 78768-2068

 

Dear [LEGISLATOR’S NAME],

 

Please oppose HB 89 by Representative Capelo.

 

[PERSONALIZED BODY - THE MOST IMPORTANT THING YOU CAN DO IS KEEP THE

TOTAL LETTER LENGTH TO ONE PAGE

OR LESS TO MAKE SURE IT IS READ †" THAT WILL ALSO KEEP YOUR

TESTIMONY

TO 3 MINUTES IN CASE TIME LIMITS ARE

IMPOSED.]

 

Sincerely,

[YOUR NAME AND CREDENTIALS]

 

 

If you would like to read the bill for yourself, you can link to

http://www.capitol.state.tx.us and enter HB 89 and click on the bill

text

selections.

 

If you are new to this issue and don't fully understand why killing

this bill and keeping our newly acquired conscientious exemption is

so important, please visit http://www.vaccineinfo.net and

http://www.nvic.org.

 

Thank you for your help!

 

Sincerely,

 

-

Dawn Richardson

PROVE(Parents Requesting Open Vaccine Education)

prove (email)

http://vaccineinfo.net/ (web site)

-

PROVE provides information on vaccines, and immunization policies

and

practices that affect the children and adults of Texas. Our

mission is to prevent vaccine injury and death and to promote and

protect the right of every person to make informed independent

vaccination decisions for themselves and their family.

-

This information is not to be construed as medical OR legal advice.

-

Subscribe to PROVE Email Updates:

http://vaccineinfo.net/.htm

Tell a Friend about PROVE:

http://vaccineinfo.net//friends.shtml

-

Removal from PROVE Email Updates:

http://vaccineinfo.net/.htm

 

 

Health, Hope, Joy & Healing :

May you Prosper, even as your Soul Prospers 3John 2

 

Jennifer Ruby

 

Email advice is not a substitute for medical treatment.

 

http://www.rubysemporium.com

SymphonicHealth

http://www.LivingNow.net/rubysemporium4life/

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