Montana Families For Health Freedom
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HB 227 (Year = 2011)
Revise Montana laws relating to religious exemptions for immunizations
UPDATE
HB 227 was voted down February 18th by 1 vote. (49 to 50)
Request for reconsideration, voted against 57, for 41.
February 16th. We expect HB 227 to be voted on tomorrow the 17th in the House of Representatives. Please contact your Representatives and urge them to vote YES on HB227.
Thank You

Talking Points
  • Constitutional.
    Affirms a constitutional right that is in accord with both Montana's constitution and our national constitution.

  • Does not change the meaning of the present law.
    Most people read the present law (52-2-735) to grant the religious exemption to all vaccines in day care and not only the Hib vaccine as DPHHS now allows in their rules.

  • Safe.
    The medical exemption for the day care setting has been safe in Montana, and both medical and religious (or personal belief) exemptions have been safe as shown by 48 other states which grant both exemptions.

  • Community Service.
    Advocates for safe and effective vaccines should appreciate that voluntary exemptors provide a control population that generates data that allows the removal of unncessary vaccines and improvement in safety for remaining ones. This community benefit is of course not desired by pharmaceutical companies.

  • Does not create an immunization crisis.
    As you can see below in the excerpt from the National Immunization Survey for 2009, Montana had 91.3% DTaP three or more shot coverage in the age 19-34 months, 89.6 % polio coverage, 87.2 % one MMR, 83.4 % received three Hib shots (neglecting brand), and for HepB at Birth, 65.2 %, a figure that is above the national average of 60.8 %.

    In addition, according to the CDC’s “Vaccination Coverage Among Children Entering School” 2005-06 report, even with both a religious exemption and medical exemption available to school children, Montana has over 99% of children vaccinated for Polio, DTaP, Measles, Mumps and Rubella when entering school. In fact, the CDC records that Montana had reported a 99.8 per vaccination coverate for kindergarten and school children.
    National Immunization Telephone Survey for 2009 [Excerpt]

    2009 survey continued:


    CDC report: 2005-06 School year. [Excerpt]


    More links:

    The 2011 links have expired.

    NVIC Advocacy Portal (NVICAP)
    Join the NVIC Advocy Portal and see what is happening regarding legislation in your state. Help write letters, email or phone your representatives.
    http://nvicadvocacy.org/members/Home.aspx


History
January 2011: Montana Families for Health Freedom has asked Representative Bob Wagner to sponsor a bill to eliminate the inequality that exists in day care regarding exemptions. Currently, children may be enrolled in day care with a medical exemption to any, or all, vaccinations. However, children may not be enrolled in day cay care with a religious exemption with one exception, the Hib vaccine.

Are vaccines in the USA made from continuous cell lines that originate in tissue from aborted babies?
Yes, some vaccines are. Click here for more info.


HISTORY
In 2007 we tried to pass a similar bill.
Three history pages for our 2007 bill:

Some History:
http://shotfreeinmontana.com/daycare/index.htm


A little history, and some supporting documents:
http://vaclib.org/legal/MTstate/index.htm


History, bullet points, summary of email rebuttals sent:
http://vaclib.org/legal/MTstate/rebuttal.htm