Important Hearing Monday In NY for philosophical exemption rights

[Guest guest]

The battle in New York to win the right to a philosophical exemption

from state vaccine mandates begins in earnest on Monday with a

public " Roundtable " meeting on Long Island hosted by Assemblymember

Marc Alessi, the sponsor of legislation that would give new Yorkers

a right to a philos0phical exemption, and Assemblymember

Gottfried, the powerful chair of the Assembly Health Committee.

The meeting begins at 11 am and continues till 2 pm at Stony Brook

University Student Activities Center, Ballroom B, comments from the

public will be allowed.

The meeting is open to the public and supporters of vaccine rights

are encouraged to attend. We want to make an impression on Gottfried

who is a vaccine supporter but who knows that there are serious

deficiencies with the current mandatory regime. Gottfried has

sponsored his own bills that would prohibit school districts from

making any inquiries about the religious beliefs of parents who

apply for a religious exemption—some areas of New York are notorious

for convening religious courts that grill parents for hours about

their religious beliefs and practices, health history, diet and any

other aspect of applicants' lives. He has also sponsored legislation

designed to stop health departments from investigating physicians

who issue medical exemptions. Neither bill has passed. Gottfried's

support could be extremely helpful in moving a religious exemption

along.

Speakers for the bill included Barbara Loe Fisher of the National

Vaccine Information Center, Larry Palevsky, MD of the Northport

Wellness Center, Lousie Habakus of the New Jersey Coalition for

Vaccine Choice and Gilmore of Autism United and the Autism

Action Network. Speakers in opposition to the philosophical

exemption include Dale Morse, MD of the New York State Department of

Health and the current chair of the Advisory Committee on

Immunization Practices, the federal bureaucracy that creates

the " recommended " vaccine schedule. Morse is also thought to be the

mastermind behind last year's " Worst Vaccine Bill Ever, " that would

have made all vaccines approved by the ACIP mandatory for everyone

according to the exact schedule laid down by the ACIP. In effect

parents who even delayed vaccines could have been reported to child

protective services.

Directions:

By Car

Take the Long Island Expressway (LIE, I-495) to exit 62, and follow

Nicolls Road (Route 97) north for 9 miles. The main entrance to the

University is on the left.

By Train

Take the Long Island Railroad's Port Jefferson line to Stony Brook.

The LIRR station is at the north end of the campus; bus service to

the central campus is provided. Trains to and from Penn generally

require transfers at Jamaica or Huntington. Hicksville is also a

transfer point on some lines