Multiple Bills to be heard TOMORROW 02/08/22

URGENT CALL TO ACTION

Several bills we have been monitoring are on the agenda to be heard in the House Health, Welfare and Institutions Committee and Subcommittee 3 tomorrow, Tuesday, February 8, 2022. Scroll to bottom for bill titles and summaries. If passed, these bills would render significant positive impact in upholding and protecting Virginians' rights to medical freedom and informed consent. Refer to our website for all current updates of bills we are tracking. See Virginia General Assembly website for tomorrow's HWI agenda and HWI Subcommittee 3 agenda.

Please contact legislators listed below urging them to VOTE YES on House Bills 22, 27, 156, 306, 512, 514, 783, 915, 962, and 1038. Scroll down for phone call/email examples. Feel free to copy and paste the listed email addresses and send one email to all House HWI Committee members.

Also consider signing up to speak 02/08/22 via zoom during the House Health, Welfare and Institutions - Subcommittee 3 meeting.

https://hodspeak.house.virginia.gov/submit_testimony?meeting_id=11304

If you are unable to speak in person or via zoom please flood the phone lines and email inboxes of all the legislators involved in the hearings of these bills before they are heard! Meetings are scheduled for Tuesday at 10:00 am and 6:00 pm- it is not too late to take action!

Delegates on the House Health, Welfare and Institutions Committee (includes members of Subcommittee 3 indicated by "*"):

*Robert D. Orrock, Sr. (Chair) (54 R) DelBOrrock@house.virginia.gov (804) 698-1054

*Christopher T. Head (Vice Chair) (17 R) DelCHead@house.virginia.gov (804) 698-1017

Robert B. Bell (58 R) DelRBell@house.virginia.gov (804) 698-1058

M. Keith Hodges (98 R) DelKHodges@house.virginia.gov (804) 698-1098

James E. Edmunds, II (60 R) DelJEdmunds@house.virginia.gov (804) 698-1060

Roxann L. Robinson (27 R) DelRRobinson@house.virginia.gov (804) 698-1027

*Wendell S. Walker (23 R) DelWWalker@house.virginia.gov (804) 698-1023

C. Matthew Fariss (59 R) DelMFariss@house.virginia.gov (804) 698-1059

Mike A. Cherry (66 R) DelMCherry@house.virginia.gov (804) 698-1066

Phillip A. Scott (88 R) DelPScott@house.virginia.gov (804) 698-1088

Marie E. March (7 R) DelMMarch@house.virginia.gov (804) 698-1007

H. Otto Wachsmann, Jr. (75 R) DelOWachsmann@house.virginia.gov (804) 698-1075

Mark D. Sickles (43 D) DelMSickles@house.virginia.gov (804) 698-1043

Patrick A. Hope (47 D) DelPHope@house.virginia.gov (804) 698-1047

Marcia S. "Cia" Price (95 D) DelMPrice@house.virginia.gov (804) 698-1095

*C.E. Cliff Hayes, Jr. (77 D) DelCHayes@house.virginia.gov (804) 698-1077

Karrie K. Delaney (67 D) DelKDelaney@house.virginia.gov (804) 698-1067

Dawn M. Adams (68 D) DelDAdams@house.virginia.gov (804) 698-1068

Elizabeth R. Guzman (31 D) DelEGuzman@house.virginia.gov (804) 698-1031

*Kathy K.L. Tran (42 D) DelKTran@house.virginia.gov (804) 698-1042

Rodney T. Willett (73 D) DelRWillett@house.virginia.gov (804) 698-1073

Sally L. Hudson (57 D) DelSHudson@house.virginia.gov (804) 698-1057

A phone call takes less than a minute and could sound like:

"Hi my name is (your name) and I am calling to urge Senator/Delegate (their last name) to vote yes on (bill number). Thank you!" The legislative aide will likely ask if you are a resident of their district and will record your support.

A quick email can be as simple as:

“Dear Senator/Delegate (last name),

I am a Virginian respectfully encouraging you to vote in favor of (bill number and title) this week. A medical choice- acceptance or declination of any procedure, including immunization, should remain between a patient and their care provider. A private health care decision should not interfere with one's ability to attain and maintain employment or access essential services. Policies that mandate the greater good are problematic for those with certain medical, religious, and philosophical issues. We should be careful not to discriminate against these individuals and be proactive in protecting their rights.

Please consider voting YES during the hearing of (bill number and title).

Thank you for your dedication to District (number).

Sincerely,

(full name)

(street address and/or zip code)”

You will likely receive an automated response.

If you happen to be a constituent of any of these senators/delegates, meaning you reside in their district, please emphasize this when you contact them! Whether you are a constituent or not, including your street address or at least, your zip code helps their staff to verify that you are a resident of Virginia and ensures they take your concerns seriously. If you choose to email, please include a clear subject line such as “SUPPORT (bill number)”. Remember, you will be emailing/calling legislative aides who record your sentiments and relay it to the senator- they are very receptive to your feedback and reaching out only takes a couple of minutes! Thank you so much for your participation, let’s spread the word and get these bills passed through committee.

Be aware that several senate bills could also be heard this Thursday, February 10, 2022 during the Senate Education and Health Committee meeting.

Please consider signing up to speak 02/10/22 via zoom during the Senate Education and Health Committee meeting.

Link will be posted when available.

Senate Education and Health Committee:

L. Louise Lucas (Chair) district18@senate.virginia.gov (804) 698-7518

Richard L. Saslaw district35@senate.virginia.gov (804) 698-7535

Janet D. Howell district32@senate.virginia.gov (804) 698-7532

Stephen D. Newman district23@senate.virginia.gov (804) 698-7523

Mamie E. Locke district02@senate.virginia.gov (804) 698-7502

George L. Barker district39@senate.virginia.gov(804) 698-7539

J. Chapman Peters district34@senate.virginia.gov (804) 698-7534

John A. Cosgrove, Jr. district14@senate.virginia.gov (804) 698-7514

Lynwood W. Lewis, Jr. district06@senate.virginia.gov (804) 698-7506

Siobhan S. Dunnavant district12@senate.virginia.gov (804) 698-7512

David R. Suetterlein district19@senate.virginia.gov (804) 698-7519

Mark J. Peake district22@senate.virginia.gov (804) 698-7522

John S. Edwards district21@senate.virginia.gov (804) 698-7521

Ghazala F. Hashmi district10@senate.virginia.gov (804) 698-7510

Todd E. Pillion district40@senate.virginia.gov (804) 698-7540

Bills to be heard (HBs will be heard 02/08/22, SBs will likely be heard 02/10/22): HB 22 Fundamental right to be free from medical mandates. Declares that, except as otherwise provided by law, each adult has a fundamental right to be free from medical mandates of the Commonwealth or any locality, private employer, health care entity or provider, or provider of public accommodations. The bill defines "medical mandate" as any affirmative requirement by the Commonwealth or any locality, private employer, health care entity or provider, or provider of public accommodations for an individual to undergo or participate in a health-related test, procedure, tracking or monitoring program, or bodily insertion or injection of any drug or the wearing of any medical equipment or apparel. The bill provides that it shall be no less a medical mandate for such entities to condition an individual's receipt of otherwise ordinary services, benefits, or employment upon the performance or acquiescence of undergoing or participating in a health-related test, procedure, tracking or monitoring program, or bodily insertion or injection of any drug or the wearing of any medical equipment or apparel. The bill sets out exceptions, including protocols in health care facilities and food handling operations and valid orders of quarantine or isolation. HB 27 COVID-19 vaccination status; mandatory COVID-19 vaccination prohibited; discrimination prohibited. Prohibits the State Health Commissioner and the Board of Health, the Board of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services, the Department of Health Professions and any regulatory board therein, and the Department of Social Services from requiring any person to undergo vaccination for COVID-19 and prohibits discrimination based on a person's COVID-19 vaccination status with regard to education or public employment and in numerous other contexts.

HB 306

Immunizations; authority of the Commissioner of Health, religious exception.

Exempts a person, including a parent or guardian on behalf of a child, who objects to administration of a vaccine on religious grounds from mandatory immunization requirements during an epidemic. Currently, exemption from mandatory immunization requirements during an epidemic is available only to those persons to whose health the administration of the vaccine would be detrimental, as certified in writing by a licensed physician.

HB 156

Health, Department of; certain communication prohibited.

Summary: Prohibits any person employed by or who has entered into a contract to provide services on behalf of the Department of Health or a local department of health from initiating communication regarding health-related matters with a minor on behalf of the Department or local department of health without the consent of the minor's parent, except as otherwise required by law.

HB 512 COVID-19 immunization; prohibition on requirement; discrimination prohibited. Prohibits the State Health Commissioner and the Board of Health, the Board of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services, the Department of Health Professions and any regulatory board therein, and the Department of Social Services from requiring any person to undergo vaccination for COVID-19 and prohibits discrimination based on a person's COVID-19 vaccination status (i) with regard to education, employment, insurance, or issuance of a driver's license or other state identification or (ii) in numerous other contexts. HB 514 Prohibition on mask mandates. Prohibits the Board of Health, Commissioner of Health, and Governor from issuing any rule, regulation, or order that requires (i) individuals to wear masks or other face coverings or (ii) businesses to require customers to wear masks or other face coverings while on the premises of such business and prohibits any local school board from requiring any student enrolled at a public elementary or secondary school in the local school division to wear a mask, face covering, or other covering of the student's nose and mouth at school, on a school bus, or at a school-sponsored activity. HB 519 Hospitals; regulations; visitation; individuals infected with COVID-19. Directs the Board of Health to include in regulations governing hospitals a provision prohibiting hospitals from restricting in any way the ability of a patient who has tested positive for infection with COVID-19 to receive visits from members of his family.

HB 783

Immunizations; authority of the Commissioner of Health, religious exception.

Summary: Exempts a person, including a parent or guardian on behalf of a child, who objects to administration of a vaccine on religious grounds from mandatory immunization requirements during an epidemic. Currently, exemption from mandatory immunization requirements during an epidemic is available only to those persons to whose health the administration of the vaccine would be detrimental, as certified in writing by a licensed physician.

HB 915 Required immunizations; regulations. Provides that a parent, guardian, or person standing in loco parentis of each child in the Commonwealth shall cause such child to be vaccinated in accordance with the Regulations for the Immunization of School Children of the State Board of Health (the Board) and that regulations of the Board setting forth such requirements shall be subject to the Administrative Process Act. Currently, a parent, guardian, or person standing in loco parentis of a child shall cause such child to be vaccinated in accordance with the Immunizations Schedule developed and published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, American Academy of Pediatrics, and American Academy of Family Physicians, and any regulations of the Board setting forth requirements related to vaccines are exempt from the Administrative Process Act. HB 962 Vaccines; adverse events; reporting. Requires the Department of Health (the Department) to establish a process for receiving reports of adverse events, defined in the bill as adverse reactions to the administration of a vaccine, including any side effects and other reactions, provided by health care providers and members of the public and make information regarding reported adverse events available to the public on a website maintained by the Department. The bill also requires every health care provider who reports an adverse event to the Vaccine Adverse Event Report System administered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to report such adverse event to the Department.

HB 1038 Emergency rules, regulations, and orders; prohibition on mask mandates. Prohibits the Board of Health, Commissioner of Health, or Governor from issuing any rule, regulation, or order that requires (i) individuals to wear masks or other face coverings or (ii) businesses to require customers to wear masks or other face coverings while on the premises of such business.

SB 587 Powers of State Health Commissioner in epidemic; vaccine; religious tenets or practices. Allows a parent or guardian to object to the vaccination or immunization of a child on the grounds that the administration of immunizing agents conflicts with his religious tenets or practices, even if an emergency or epidemic of disease has been declared by the State Board of Health, which is not allowed under current law. The bill also provides that nothing shall preclude the State Health Commissioner from requiring immediate immunization of all persons in the case of an epidemic of any disease of public health importance for which a vaccine exists other than a person, including a parent or guardian on behalf of a child, who objects on the grounds that the administration of the vaccine conflicts with his religious tenets or practices. Under current law, the only exception to the Commissioner's power to require immediate immunization of all persons in case of an epidemic of any disease of public health importance for which a vaccine exists is for a person to whose health the administration of a vaccine would be detrimental as certified in writing by a physician licensed to practice medicine in the Commonwealth. SB 601 COVID-19 immunization; prohibition on requirement; discrimination prohibited. Prohibits the State Health Commissioner and the Board of Health, the Board of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services, the Department of Health Professions and any regulatory board therein, and the Department of Social Services from requiring any person, including any child, to undergo vaccination for COVID-19 and prohibits discrimination based on a person's COVID-19 vaccination status (i) with regard to education, employment, or issuance of a driver's license or other state identification or (ii) in numerous other contexts. (SUPPORT these bills will be heard in Subcommittee 2/8) SB 646 Unemployment compensation; disqualification for benefits; misconduct does not include refusing COVID-19 vaccine. Provides that for the purposes of the Virginia Employment Commission determining if an individual was separated or partially separated from employment for misconduct and would be disqualified for unemployment benefits, the term "misconduct" does not include an employee's refusal to receive or receive in part any primary series or booster shot of a vaccine for the prevention of COVID-19.