Gearing Up for 2021

We knew there would be challenges ahead of us with the start of the 2021 legislative season this week. We were preparing for them. But crunch time is no longer coming; crunch time is here. In preparation for the new COVID vaccines DC passed a law on December 23 that puts 11-year-olds in the position…

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Urgent DC Bill Update

The DC bill allowing minors to consent to vaccination without their parent’s knowledge or consent, the bill that would keep any knowledge of the vaccination from the child’s parents even long after the fact, has finally been delivered to the desk of DC Mayor Muriel Bowser. If you live in the District, we would ask…

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Breaking: Minor Consent Bill Postponed

[Update 11/18: The Council voted 10 to 3 yesterday to pass this dangerous bill. It will be going to the mayor for signing and then sit for a review period before Congress, as described below.] The DC bill that would allow 11 year olds to consent to vaccinations was scheduled for second reading and final…

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DC Council Would Discard Constitution, End Parents’ Rights

On October 20 the District of Columbia Council voted 12-1 to adopt a measure that would flout existing Supreme Court precedent and end parental rights regarding a minor’s healthcare. Bill 23-171 is scheduled for a second reading and vote in the council on November 10. If it passes again, it then faces Mayoral review and…

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Hot-Button Issues Come to Parental Rights

The new Virginia legislature didn’t waste any time launching an all-out assault on parental rights. In the opening hours, the House of Delegates and the Virginia Senate took up four pieces of legislation that are troubling for families: SB 32 would outlaw spanking with “an inanimate object.” HB 386 would outlaw “conversion therapy” for minors.…

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State Victories, but Challenges Remain

So far 36 state legislatures have wrapped up their 2019 legislative sessions, with six more to adjourn by the end of the month. So, what has 2019 brought at the state level? And where do we stand in the remaining eight states? To sum it up, we have seen a number of victories—mostly defeats of…

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Parental Rights Case Law on Vaccines Is Not Settled

Note: We were disappointed to see a recent opinion piece in which an admired legal professor claims the case law is settled, that parents have no right to make vaccine decisions for their children. We offered an opposing opinion to the Sacramento Bee, who published the original piece. They declined to print our opinion, so…

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Take Action to Oppose SB 276 in California

Senate Bill 276 in California is scheduled for a hearing in the Senate Health Committee this Wednesday, April 24, at 1:30 pm in Room 4203 of the State Capitol. A rally in opposition to the bill has been scheduled to follow the hearing. Background Senate Bill 276 in California is designed to greatly reduce the…

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Legislative Update and a Big Surprise

Oklahoma House Chamber

This legislative season has been something of a mixed bag, with some victories, some disappointments, some challenges, and one particular story that took us by surprise. Some Victories In Oklahoma, the Parental Rights Amendment (PRA) resolution, SCR 1, passed the House of Representatives by unanimous consent on April 3, making Oklahoma the seventh state to…

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Report on the HELP Committee Hearing on Vaccines

Capitol

Note: This week’s newsletter is an eye-witness report from Federal Relations Liaison Maggie McKneely. Here’s Maggie: The well-publicized measles outbreaks In Washington, New York, and Texas have inflamed the debate over vaccines. In recent months, we’ve seen a number of states introduce legislation that would either partially or entirely remove vaccine exemptions. California Congressman Adam…

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