All Hands on Deck – Vaccine Choice

Mar 212012

Here’s the latest news from Joan Kahn:

Many of you have asked for more clarification on what is next on S199… following see the draft agenda of the House HC Committee for next week. This agenda is subject to change and so please check this link regularly and click on “current agenda” for updates.

The process:

Basically, the house healthcare committee that heard our voices on Wed. night has decided to take up the bill. They will hear invited “expert” testimony all of next week, then discuss, and then they MAY vote (or the bill dies… our greatest hope!). If the committee is “split”, this will create at least some more discussion on the floor of the full house (called a second reading after a committee votes), and might even get the bill dropped or to another committee. If not – and if many vote for or against the bill – then the remaining reps in the House will probably vote based on Committee vote at that time. There are 11 on the committee, so what we are aiming for is 5-6 at least (a total defeat is of course a goal). But we cannot forget that the Senate dealt a crushing blow with their largely rushed and uninformed 25-4 vote for the bill.

VT Coalition for Vaccine Choice Status:

We have done a great job in getting to the point where many are “on the fence”. BUT, we need a lot more Grassroots lobbying efforts and that begins with each and every one of you. Please, if you can find the time to speak with your rep in person or by phone this weekend (see below), to explain why this bill makes no sense, it is of the utmost importance. Democrats seem most especially leaning toward the flawed concept of the “greater good” versus parental rights.

Key messages:

VT has vax rates above CDC targets, for the required vaccinations, except chicken pox.
VT was ranked #1 healthiest state two years in a row; in this report immunization rate = 91.2%.
As evidenced by Wednesdays public hearing, parents are extremely well-informed and are being thoughtful about which vaccines or doses to opt out of when exercising the philosophical objection.
Changing the Phil Ex law won’t even boost the rate the Dept. of Health is citing because those vaccines are not required.

Deliver Petition in person- March 28th 11am:

All petiton signers - come to the statehouse Wednesday to deliver this petition to the house of representatives (Cedar Creek room, 11 am). More details coming soon – but please RSVP to admin@vaxchoicevt.com. We are more likely to get press coverage if there is a good turnout expected. This can also be a great opportunity to talk to your own representative(s) in person. If possible, make an appointment now to talk with them over the lunch hour on March 28th. To find your rep, see link below.

Getting the word out:

Most reps still have not viewed the Greater Good, which is a balanced film on the politics of the vaccine issue… but they have watched the “PBS FRONTLINE” video last Sunday night and also it was circulated online. As we heard Dr. Green say in the Greater Good film, the PBS folks took 1/2 day of interview with him and did the same from several other well respected researchers and doctors but NEVER included any of it on Frontline.

Watch and share the Greater Good Film now.

FOR POLICYMAKERS AND STAFFERS:

http://vimeo.com/31036452 pw: goodvt

FOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC (may get shut off today)

[I am arranging a public screening in Addison County -RW]

http://vimeo.com/29998236 pw: greater

This bill includes college students, too

Anyone in any school including post-secondary schools in VT is impacted by S199. And this bill proposes precedent for further vaccine mandates in the state of Vermont.

College students have not yet awakened to this issue and we need YOUR help in getting there. The more we have on our petition and the more we have speaking out, the better. Write letters to the local paper, engage the press, do whatever you can to continue to speak intelligently and gain traction on this important issue of informed consent for medical procedures. And check the website, facebook and twitter for regular updates, too. Website: www.vaxchoicevt.com

Contact Information and who to call this weekend:

your rep: http://www.leg.state.vt.us/lms/legdir/districts.asp?Body=H

Plus:

Representative Shap Smith, Speaker of the House

(802) 828-2245 or speaker@leg.state.vt.us

House Health Care Committee

Mike Fisher of Lincoln, Chair – (802) 453-5517 or mfisher@leg.state.vt.us
Sarah Copeland-Hanzas of Bradford, Vice Chair – (802) 222-3536 scopelandhanzas@leg.state.vt.us
Paul Poirier of Barre City, Ranking Member - (802) 476-7870 ppoirier@leg.state.vt.us or paulpoirier33@gmail.com
Leigh Dakin of Chester, Clerk – (802) 875-3456 or ldakin@leg.state.vt.us
Jim Eckhardt of Chittenden – (802) 342-0140 or jeckhardt@leg.state.vt.us
Patti Komline of Dorset - (802) 867-4232 or pkomline@leg.state.vt.us
Mary Morrissey of Bennington – (802) 442-2092 or mmorrissey@leg.state.vt.us
Chris Pearson of Burlington – (802) 860-3933 or cpearson@leg.state.vt.us
Kristy Spengler of Colchester – (802) 864-6567 or seashre@msn.com
Mark Woodward of Johnson – (802) 635-7166 or mwoodward@leg.state.vt.us

STAY CONNECTED! Register for the NVIC Advocacy Portal at http://NVICAdvocacy.org, sign up for the Vermont Coalition for Vaccine Choice email list athttp://eepurl.com/jRLl9and sign the coalition petition at: http://signon.org/sign/vt-vaccination-laws-preserve?source=c.em.cp&r_by=2566101

Screening of The Greater Good in Vermont on March 22

Addison County screening to come... stay tuned!

As Vermont families are fighting to preserve the philosophical exemption, The Vermont Coalition for Vaccine Choice is sponsoring a free screening of The Greater Good film this Thursday, Mar. 22 at 7 PM at the Big Picture Theater in Waitsfield, VT http://www.bigpicturetheater.info/. This is a great opportunity to meet other families making informed independent vaccine choices and see this movie that will change the way you look at vaccines and vaccine policy for the rest of your lives!

If you can’t make this screening, you have another chance to view the movie. This Saturday, Mar. 24 at 1 PM ET/10 AM PT, the Peabody and Emmy Award winning online Current TV network will broadcast The Greater Good, an indie documentary that is jump-starting conversations nationwide about vaccine safety and the legal right to make vaccine choices in America. After the broadcast there will be a live chat with one of the filmmakers, Kendall Nelson.

NVIC’s three decades of consumer advocacy, including excerpts from interviews with NVIC co-founder and president, Barbara Loe Fisher, as well as interviews with families of vaccine injured children and a diverse group of medical experts are featured in the 80 minute film. Learn more about how to plug into the online live chat after this TV premiere broadcast or make a comment here.

Sincerely,
Dawn Richardson, Director of Advocacy
National Vaccine Information Center
http://NVIC.org and http://NVICAdvocacy.org
Dawn@NVICAdvocacy.org
The National Vaccine Information Center (NVIC) works diligently to prepare and disseminate our legislative advocacy action alerts and supporting materials. We request that organizations and members of the public forward our alerts in their original form to assure consistent and accurate messaging and effective action. Please acknowledge NVIC as originators of this work when forwarding to members of the public and like-minded organizations. To receive alerts immediately, register at http://NVICAdvocacy.org, a website dedicated to this sole purpose and provided as a free public service by NVIC.

Make A Difference, support NVIC. NVIC is a certified 501(c)3 Charity.

Share and Enjoy: