Washington Votes Forum

Introduced in the Senate on January 10, 2011

Click here to view bill details.

If this bill becomes law, it will put doctors, nurses and other medical personnel in the legal position of acting as inquisitors of religious beliefs held by fellow citizens, which is an invasion of privacy and a de facto violation of First Amendment rights. Americans associated with the medical profession will have the power to sit in judgment of, or interfere with, the free exercise of religious, spiritual or conscientious beliefs of other Americans. It will also make it easier for doctors to punish parents making selective vaccine choices by denying their children medical care, which is the official policy of many U.S. pediatricians. Today, vaccine exemptions in many states in the U.S. are under attack by lobbyists working for wealthy and politically powerful pharmaceutical companies selling vaccines for profit, companies that are desperate to protect a multi-billion dollar vaccine business. We all have our human right to make voluntary decisions about vaccination, which involves pharmaceutical products that carry risks of injury or death.   

This bill allows MORE people to give exemptions, it makes it EASIER to get an exemption.

advocacylady:

If this bill becomes law, it will put doctors, nurses and other medical personnel in the legal position of acting as inquisitors of religious beliefs held by fellow citizens, which is an invasion of privacy and a de facto violation of First Amendment rights... 

 

 A challenge to the constitutionality of the Arkansas religious exemption provision was brought before that state’s Supreme Court:

Plaintiff Dan McCarthy instituted this 42 U.S.C. § 1983 action on behalf of his eleven-year-old daughter after she was suspended from school on October 1, 2001, for failing to receive the age appropriate immunizations required by Arkansas law and for not having qualified for the religious exemption provided by statute. Plaintiff asserts that the Arkansas immunization statute violates rights under the First Amendment and the Fourteenth Amendment… [T]he Court finds that the statute requiring immunization of school-age children is constitutional, but that the religious exemption provision of the statute is unconstitutional. The Court concludes that the religious exemption provision is severable from the remainder of the statute and, consequently, the immunization requirement remains in full force and effect. Accordingly, Plaintiff's daughter will be required to provide evidence of immunization in order to attend school within the State of Arkansas.

http://www.vaccinesafety.edu/McCvBoo.htm

I'm not sure I understand why religion (and First Amendment?!) is being brought up in the context of this bill.

Anyway, this is a good bill. This is a step in the right direction. This bill promotes preventive care, which is multiple times cheaper than treating people after they contract a disease. So, if anything, this bill is taking money AWAY from big pharmaceutical companies... Do your math.

Regarding the diversity/religious issue brought up by others: we need to recognize that King County is in a very peculiar position due to its very diverse population. We have people from all parts of the world, some with health standards that are not as high as the US. The only way to prevent certain deseases from coming here (brought by people travaling to their home countries and back) is to have a immunized population. I would feel much safer knowing that everybody is taking their shots, even if they visited, say, India or China recently.

So, this is a good way to promote an inclusive diverse society! Having everybody vaccinated to the same standards makes sure that we can enjoy the levels of diversity that we are enjoying today without compromising our public health!

BobVB, I mean no disrespect but you appear to have any idea what you are talking about. Right now all I have to do it turn the immunization form over and check the Religious Exemption box. How can you make it any easier than that?

If this bill is passed as written. I will have to go to get a physician to sign off on my Religious Exemption. How in the world is that easier than what I do now!

This bill also doesn't make any sense! Why in the world is the state forcing my doctor to determine my religious convictions. That should be between me and my pastor not me and my doctor! I can't be the only one who sees the insanity here.

concernedparent2,

If you want your children to be immunized that is fine and I don't think anyone should pass a law stopping you from doing so. Why can't that same curtsey be extended the other direction. If someone doesn't want their children to be immunized why should they be forced to immunize them or jump through unreasonable hoops? That is just stripping us of another one of our freedoms.

If your child is immunized what do you have to worry about? They are immunized, right? If there is a breakout your child will be safe. So it shouldn't matter if a couple children in the same school as your child aren't immunized. They will get sick and your child will stay healthy.

You also don't seem to understand what diversity means. Having everybody meet then same standard is the opposite of being diverse. Forcing a group of people to conform to a standard has the affect of making the group leave. How in the world can you maintain diversity if you make it difficult for people with beliefs that are not similar to your own?

I guess there are some standards we should keep if we want to be a part of a civilized healthy society. I had a talk with my family physician about this matter and he convinced me that this is the best thing to do.