For Immediate Release: March 25, 2022
Contact: Ryan Hite, Communications Director
Washington, D.C.: Missouri legislators have reintroduced a bill (HB 2009) that would strengthen parental rights over immunization decisions for children and rein in the Department of Health and Senior Services to receive more oversight from the General Assembly on vaccine issues.
“These proposed changes are a refreshing dose of the ‘local works best’ mentality in government,” said Ed Martin, president of Phyllis Schlafly Eagles. “First of all, like Phyllis Schlafly always said, parents know best for their kids. This bill includes several commonsense changes that give parents and private schools more freedom, flexibility, and control to do as they see best outside the demands of bureaucrats.
“But perhaps most exciting is that HB 2009 would prohibit Missouri’s DHSS to mandate vaccines by ‘rule,’ instead allowing only the legislature to add mandates by ‘statute.’ This is fantastic! Any time government can take rule making away from unelected bureaucrats and gives law making back to the elected legislature, that’s a win for the citizens.
“Missouri is moving their decision-making back to the responsive branch of government (whose job it is in the first place). That moves power closer to the people, which is exactly what makes America so great. I am excited by this push for local control and more responsive government in Missouri. Bravo to the legislature! I look forward to HB 2009’s passage and it being signed into law.”
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