Former Jersey Assemblywoman Says Vaccine Mandates ‘Problematic’

New Jersey’s “tougher” vaccine exemption bill (A-3818) is nearing a vote potentially as early as Thursday. The bill would dramatically tighten rules regarding religious and medical exemptions, including for the HPV vaccine. Even in cases where a child has a compromised immune system, it seems the state feels that vaccines are worth the risk of injury and life.

Joe Werner of Asbury Park had proclaimed a number of concerns, including this excerpt from his write-up in the Asbury Park Press.

Both of my children are have compromised immunity systems and are at a higher risk to suffer vaccine injury.  Our doctors have recommended they abstain from vaccinations.  The way this bill is written, it is not clear that they would receive a medical exemption because we can’t prove an adverse reaction will happen until it actually does. In my family’s case, a state bureaucrat will make decisions on medical interventions for my children instead of my wife, our family doctor and myself.

Former Assemblywoman Charlotte Vandervalk had this to say regarding what she finds the new bill extremely problematic, saying, “We do not know what causes these severe reactions in this limited, at-risk population…In most cases, we do not know until the reaction occurs. This is problematic for parents faced with state-imposed vaccination mandates, especially when directives from our government health agencies continue to evolve as research in this area progresses.”

What can you do to help the cause?

Call Assemblywomen Joann Downey (732 383-7720) and Assemblyman Eric Houghtaling (732 695-3371) and ask them to vote no on A3818.