ICWA is thrilled to announce the first bill we are supporting in the coming 2021 Legislative Session — and it’s not even our bill! We were surprised and delighted to discover this fantastic bill that was prefiled yesterday by Representative Klippert.
House Bill 1006 will, if passed, provide for religious and conscience exemptions to ALL Washington State citizens for ALL “state agency or political subdivision” vaccine requirements.
There are several definitions of “political subdivision.” The Social Security Administration definition:
https://www.ssa.gov/section218training/advanced_course_9.htm
“A political subdivision is a separate legal entity of a State which usually has specific governmental functions. The term ordinarily includes a county, city, town, village, or school district, and, in many States, a sanitation, utility, reclamation, drainage, flood control, or similar district.”
Bill Highlights
- establishes a religious and conscience (personal and philosophical) exemption to vaccination for all Washington State citizens
- restores the personal/philosophical exemption to the MMR for daycare and schoolchildren
- provides religious and personal/philosophical exemptions for daycare workers
- prohibits suspending the right to religious, personal, or philosophical exemptions during an emergency.
IF YOU ARE NEW TO READING WA BILLS please pay close attention to how the sections are described. If it starts with NEW SECTION — then everything in that section is new and will create new law. If it starts with naming an RCW and says it is “amending” and/or “adding” then all of the language is existing law. Look for the sections that are crossed out — the bill will delete those parts — and look for the words that are underlined — the bill will add those to the law.
READ THE BILL HERE: HB 1006
Click here to SEND a message of support to your legislators about this bill.
Click here to thank Representative Klippert for sponsoring this bill.
HOUSE BILL 1006
AN ACT Relating to protecting the right of every Washingto resident to decline an immunization or vaccination based on religion or conscience; amending RCW 28A.210.090, 28A.210.090, 43.216.690, and 43.06.220; adding a new section to chapter 70.54 RCW; providing an effective date; providing an expiration date; and declaring an emergency.
http://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2021-22/Pdf/Bills/House%20Bills/1006.pdf?q=20201209143159
