House Bill 248 (Rep. Jennifer Gross (R), HD-52, West Chester) known as the Vaccine Choice and Anti-Discrimination Act, received an all testimony hearing earlier this week in House Health Committee. This bill proposes to:
Prohibit mandatory vaccinations, vaccination status disclosures, and certain other actions regarding vaccinations.
Authorize an individual to bring a civil action if the individual believes a violation has occurred and requires the court to award a prevailing plaintiff attorney’s fees, compensation for court costs, and any civil penalty the court considers appropriate.
HB 248 seeks to eliminate current fundamental and basic public health and safety measures trusted to keep Ohioans healthy and safe while leaving many more vulnerable to the threat of the Coronavirus.
We are concerned that the changes proposed in House Bill 248 will result in lower immunization rates, poor data collection, and more outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases. In turn, greater instances of vaccine-preventable diseases will impact the long-term health and economic stability of our state, already struggling to emerge and recover from an ongoing public health and economic crisis.
Current law already grants exemptions for medical contraindications signed by a physician and for religious and philosophical beliefs for state required vaccines for children entering daycare or school. House Bill 248 greatly expands current exemptions and is likely to result in fewer children receiving immunizations.
Speaker of the House Bob Cupp (R-Lima) and the House majority leadership team issued a statement that pauses any further action on the "Vaccine Choice Act," HB248, after the Tuesday, Aug. 24 hearing, where there were no amendments or votes. Cupp said, “We will then pause hearings on HB248 while we work with the chairman, the bill’s sponsor, and all interested parties on this important issue.”
We urge our elected officials to protect the health and safety of their constituents by opposing House Bill 248, and work towards policies that support the safety and security of Ohioans in times of crisis.
Read our full comments HERE