IVAC has received many complaints from parents about new regulations concerning the religious exemption to vaccines for school aged children in Public Act 099-0249. The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) has submitted the Rules Changes for this law to the Joint Committee On Administrative Rules (JCAR) for approval. JCAR is made up of Senators and Representatives from Illinois and will be meeting in Springfield, February 15, Wednesday at 10:30 am to approve or deny the Rules Changes. Many parents attended IDPH hearings and wrote letters in opposition to these changes. If parents have not yet done so, they also must contact JCAR and let them know of their dissatisfaction. JCAR needs to hear from the public to access if a law is working out as intended. Contact JCAR members before their next meeting on February 15.
Withdraw the current proposed rules;
Rewrite the rules to ONLY implement the current statute while not abusing the rule making process or legislating additional restrictions/requirements on families;
Rewrite the IDPH Certificate of Religious Exemption removing the statement above the parent’s signature line: “not following vaccination recommendations may endanger the health or life of the unvaccinated student, others with whom they come in contact, and individuals in the community”
IVAC has received complaints from members regarding the IDPH Certificate of Religious Exemption form (which was not available prior to passing Public Act 099-0249) and about the act itself. These include:
Does having a doctor sign the Religious Exemption form infringe on parents’ religious rights?
Does having the language in the Religious Exemption notice “not following vaccination recommendations may endanger the health or life of the unvaccinated student, others with whom they come in contact, and individuals in the community” and requiring parents sign below stating they have read the statement imply that the parent by filing a religious objection as is his right by Illinois law is somehow neglecting his children’s health?
What can be done to end medical religious discrimination from doctors in Illinois that are refusing to treat families that take a religious vaccine exemption? We have received numerous complaints from members that they have been told by doctors they would no longer accept their families as patients because they were not adhering to the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) recommended vaccine schedule or filing a religious exemption to one or more vaccines. Are these doctors receiving bonuses for achieving a certain percentage of vaccinated children?
With the CDC’s credibility in question due to CDC whistle blower, Dr. William Thompson’s allegation of fraud concerning the 2004 MMR and Autism study he coauthored, what can be done to ensure the safety of Illinois children? According to the Illinois State Board of Education, 20,506 Illinois children ages 3-21 received special education under the category of autism in the school year 2013 – 2014 up 1216 students from the previous year.
Contact BOTH your State Senator and your State Representative via email and call to follow up. Send them a copy of your letter to IDPH along with JCAR members.
- Inform them that IDPH is attempting to get away with passing rules that circumvent the current statute, and add additional restrictions on vaccination exemptions, while adding more vaccine mandates that are not specified in the statute.
- Request that they contact JCAR to encourage them to withdraw proposed rules, and rewrite new rules to reflect ONLY what the is stated in the statute.
Click here to find your Illinois senator and representative.
Sample Letter to your Illinois senator and representative.