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HB 248 not only impacts exemptions for COVID vaccines but all vaccinations by weakening Ohio law by:
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Authorizing an individual to decline any vaccination based on medical contraindications, “natural immunity,” or reasons of conscience, including religious convictions.
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Prohibiting employers and businesses, among other entities in Ohio, from requiring any vaccination, including childhood immunizations
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this bill applies to all vaccinations, not just the COVID-19 vaccines.
The CMA has joined the umbrella coalition of healthcare, business, and public health groups who are opposing this bill. Click here to read this letter.
Proponents of this bill are flooding the Statehouse with personal testimonials supporting individual liberty and attacking the concept of evidence-based public health. Opposition to this bill needs to come from both organizations and individuals.
You can help! Physicians and medical students are asked to consider sharing their personal perspectives on vaccination and the role of science in medicine. Legislators will benefit from hearing from hundreds of individuals on this issue. Click here for the legislation, an analysis of the legislation, and the coalition letter from the CMA, other healthcare, business, and community organizations that are opposing HB 248.
Testimony can be as short as a paragraph or two, or as long as you would like. Click here for a recent CMA testimony letter to a different committee as an example, but yours does not need to follow this particular form. It should be submitted by NOON on Monday, June 7.
Click here for the “Witness Information Form” that needs to accompany your testimony.
Send your personal testimony and the witness slip to the Ohio House Health Committee that is hearing this bill at the email address below. Your testimony will be circulated to all the Health Committee members: [email protected]
Contact the CMA if you have questions or would like to be more involved in this effort.
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