HB 498 has been touted as a bill that forbids discrimination on the basis of whether or not a citizen has received a "Covid vaccine." We were APPALLED by the bill's passage after being SHOCKED to see what was actually in it:
If allowed to become law, this bill will actually undo the protections that exist in our current laws regarding the ability of parents and students of legal age to waive any Covid vaccine requirement of the public schools or other educational institutions.
Louisiana law currently provides:
"A.(1)(a) Each person entering any school within the state for the first time, including elementary and secondary schools, kindergartens, colleges, universities, proprietary schools, vocational schools, and licensed day care centers, at the time of registration or entry shall present satisfactory evidence of immunity to or immunization against vaccine-preventable diseases according to a schedule approved by the office of public health, Louisiana Department of Health, or shall present evidence of an immunization program in progress."
With this exception:
"E. No person seeking to enter any school or facility enumerated in Subsection A of this Section shall be required to comply with the provisions of this Section if the student or his parent or guardian submits either a written statement from a physician stating that the procedure is contraindicated for medical reasons, or a written dissent from the student or his parent or guardian is presented."
Our current law does not exclude "Covid vaccines" from the possibility of waiver if the LA Dept. of Health should add the vaccine to the schedule of "required vaccines;" therefore, parents and students of legal age currently have the authority within present law to waive a Covid vaccine requirement should any be made.
However...
If the veto of HB498 is overridden during the Louisiana Legislative Veto Session scheduled to begin on Tuesday, July 20, 2021, the current law will be changed.
HB498:
"A. Except as provided in Subsection C of this Section, no official, governing authority, or agency of the state or of any political subdivision of the state shall, in executing any of its programs, policies, duties, or functions, distinguish between individuals based on whether a person has or has not received a vaccine targeting COVID-19 disease or SARS-COV2 or any variant or mutation thereof until the date that the application for use of such a vaccine has been approved by the secretary of the United States Food and Drug Administration and the Emergency Use Authorization for such a vaccine is no longer effective.
C. The prohibition of Subsection A of this Section does not apply to:
(2) Immunization requirements involving schools and education institutions as specifically provided for by law, except that the prohibition of Subsection A of this Section shall apply to vaccines targeting COVID-19 disease or SARS-COV2 or any variant or mutation thereof, until the date that the application for use of such a vaccine has been approved by the secretary of the United States Food and Drug Administration and the Emergency Use Authorization for such a vaccine is no longer effective."
Once the FDA approves a Covid vaccine, HB 498 mandates that schools require that students get the vaccine in order to attend.
HB 498, specifically, eliminates the ability of parents and students of legal age to waive Covid vaccine requirements in schools and other educational institutions.
What about other government agencies?
HB 498 only provides protection to citizens from discrimination from government agencies and programs UNTIL the FDA approves Covid vaccines! Notice the use of the word "until":
Government agencies will not be allowed to discriminate "until the date that the application for use of such a vaccine has been approved by the secretary of the United States Food and Drug Administration and the Emergency Use Authorization for such a vaccine is no longer effective."
Once the vaccine is approved and Emergency Use is lifted, THE STATE of Louisiana IS AUTHORIZED TO DISCRIMINATE AGAINST "WE, THE PEOPLE!"
At best, HB 498 simply and actually attempts to do what Federal law already does - protect citizens from being required to receive or use anything while approved for use under Emergency Use Authorization:
"(A) Required conditions
ii) Appropriate conditions designed to ensure that individuals to whom the product is administered are informed-
(III) of the option to accept or refuse administration of the product, of the consequences, if any, of refusing administration of the product, and of the alternatives to the product that are available and of their benefits and risks."
At worst, HB 498 seeks to undo the longstanding protection of the right of parents and students to waive vaccine requirements in Louisiana.
All we can say is," WOW!"
Does Rep. Edmonston know what is in her own bill?
What about the list of co-sponsors??
What about those who voted for it???
To protect the right of parents and students of legal age to waive Covid vaccine requirements made by educational institutions in our state:
--Copy & paste the email blocks below to email the legislators and tell them to vote NO to overriding the governor's veto of HB498.
--Let them know that federal law already affords protections regarding the vaccines while they are being administered under Emergency Use Authorization.
--Tell them that the veto must stand in order to secure the right of parents and students of legal age to waive vaccine requirements of schools, including, Covid vaccines.
EMAIL BLOCKS FOR SENATORS
[email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]
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EMAIL BLOCKS FOR REPRESENTATIVES
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