New Jersey’s Religious Exemption to Vaccination is Under Attack!
(Step 1) Join us to fight bill S1759 at the Senate Health Committee Hearing THURSDAY, SEPT. 20 at 1:00 PM!
Please plan to attend! Bring 10-15 copies of your testimony/statement to share with Senators and RSVP if you can go to Trenton to njcvc_rsvp@yahoo.com. | Directions to the State House.
Bill S1759 (click for text of bill) restricts our right to the religious exemption. If S1759 is signed into law, it will require parents seeking a religious exemption to:
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specify their exact religious tenets in notarized, signed, and sworn format
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include an explanation of the nature of the religious tenet or practice that is implicated by the “vaccination”
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explain how administration of “the vaccine” would violate, contradict, or otherwise be inconsistent with that tenet or practice
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affirm that the religious tenet is consistently held by providing “information” that is not specified in the bill language
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obtain a signed statement from a physician or advanced practice nurse licensed in New Jersey proving that parents received vaccine counseling, thus requiring medical advice for a decision that should be made on religious grounds.
(Step 2) Please flood our Senators on the Health and Human Services Committee (listed below) with phone calls, emails, and faxes.
They need to hear from us, loud and clear, that we demand our right to religious freedom and to have religious exemptions to vaccination for our children without limitations imposed by our legislature. Here are some talking/writing points:
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It’s not appropriate for the state to evaluate whether an individual’s religious beliefs are acceptable or sufficiently sincere.
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Religious beliefs are personal and have no business being scrutinized. It’s inappropriate to have doctors counsel on a religious matter.
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This causes undue financial burdens – there is the cost of notarizing a letter as well as a doctor’s appointment. This unfairly burdens those who are least able to afford this cost.
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Doctors are already busy and don’t have time to schedule these extra appointments.
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What if a parent can not find a doctor to meet with them? Many practices are kicking unvaccinated children or children vaccinated on an alternate schedule out of their practice.
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S1759 is not a bill that the citizens of NJ requested. It is a self-serving tradeindustry-sponsored bill with the markings of corporate influence, pharmaceutical funding, and medical professionals wanting to increase their profits through undue influence and coercion.
(Step 3) Please sign our online petition opposing bill S1759: http://signon.org/sign/preserve-the-nj-religious
Please call, email, and fax, the members of the Senate Health and Human Services Committee listed below and ask them to VOTE NO on S1759 (Call Today and Tomorrow, they Vote on Thursday, Sept. 20th)
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Vitale, Joseph F. – Chair (Sponsor of the Bill) Phone: 732-855-7441 Fax: (732) 855-7558
569 Rahway Avenue Woodbridge, NJ 07095
senvitale@njleg.orgMadden, Fred H. – Vice-Chair Phone: (856)232-6700 & (856)401-3073 Fax: (856) 232-6844
129 Johnson Road Suite 1 Turnersville, NJ 08021
senmadden@njleg.orgAddiego, Dawn Marie Phone: (609)654-1498 Fax: (609) 654-4791
176 Route 70 Suite 13 Medford, NJ 08055
senaddiego@njleg.orgAllen, Diane B. Phone: (609) 239-2800 Fax: (609) 239-2673
11 West Broad Street Burlington, NJ 08016
senallen@njleg.orgBuono, Barbara Phone: (732) 205-1372 Fax: (732) 205-1375
Two Lincoln Highway Suite 401 Edison, NJ 08820
senbuono@njleg.orgGordon, Robert M. Phone: (201) 703-9779 & (201) 374-2205 Fax: (201) 703-8127
14-25 Plaza Road P.O. Box 398 Fair Lawn, Nj 07410
or
35 South Washington Ave Bergenfield, NJ 07671
sengordon@njleg.orgRice, Ronald L. Phone: (973) 371-5665 Fax: (973) 371-6738
1044 South Orange Avenue Newark, NJ 07106
Senrice@njleg.orgSinger, Robert W. Phone: (732) 987-5669 Fax: (732) 987-5672
1771 Madison Avenue Lakewood, NJ 08701
sensinger@njleg.orgThompson, Samuel D. Phone: (732) 607-7580 Fax: (732) 607-7879
2501 Highway 516 Suite 101 Old Bridge, NJ 08857
senthompson@njleg.orgWhelan, Jim Phone: (609)383-1388 Fax: (609) 383-1497
511 Tilton Road Northfield, NJ 08225
senwhelan@njleg.orgSweeney, Stephen – Senate President Phone: (856)251-9801 Fax: (856)251-9752
935 Kings Highway, Suite 400 West Deptford, NJ 08086
sensweeney@njleg.org