Proposed Legislation

Current Health Freedom Issues at the Minnesota Capitol.

Minnesota Natural Health Legal Reform Project is your representative at the Minnesota Capitol, working to ensure your access to the healing modalities of your choice.

Current Legislative Issues

HF 1917 and SF 1780 - A bill to set a preference for mercury-free vaccines.

A bill for an act
Relating to public health; establishing a preference for mercury-free vaccines; amending Minnesota Statutes, section 121A.15, by adding a subdivision.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 121A.15 is amended by adding a new subdivision to read:
Subd. 3b.  Preference for mercury-free vaccines.  (a)All vaccines administered in the State of Minnesota must be free of all mercury and mercury compounds, including but not limited to thimerosal, including preservative and trace amounts of mercury or mercury compounds, unless:
1) a mercury-free vaccine is not manufactured;
2) the health care provider finds that the mercury-free, medically recommended vaccine is not obtainable by utilizing reasonable efforts because of a shortage of supplies or because the vaccine was not available for purchase; or
3) a vaccine containing mercury was ordered before July 1, 2007, and used before July 1, 2008.
b. If a mercury-free vaccine is not available according to paragraph (a), then a vaccine containing a trace amount of mercury, as defined by the Food and Drug Administration, may be administered.  If neither a mercury-free vaccine nor a vaccine containing a trace amount of mercury is available, then the available vaccine containing the least amount of mercury may be administered.     
c.  A provider administering a vaccine containing more than a trace amount of mercury shall, before administering the vaccine, obtain informed consent from the patient, and also obtain a signed acknowledgement that the patient has received, and has had verbally explained, the following written disclosure:  “This vaccine contains more than a trace amount of the mercury compound thimerosal.”
d.   The Commissioner of Health shall inform immunization providers of all the requirements of this section.
e. The Commissioner of Health shall provide and maintain vaccine information on the Department of Health Web site, including, but not limited to, contact information for vaccine manufacturers, instructions as to how vaccines can be purchased and obtained, and the mercury content of vaccines. This information must be updated no less than quarterly and must be updated within seven days after a new product is approved for sale.

EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective July 1, 2007, except that the requirement in paragraph (d) is effective June 1, 2007, or the day following final enactment, whichever is later.

Help Make Vaccines Mercury-Free In Minnesota

Minnesota HF 1917 and SF 1780 will “set a preference for mercury free vaccines”. Whenever there is a choice between vaccines with or without mercury, providers will administer the mercury-free option. If a mercury-free vaccine is not available, a vaccine containing mercury may be given but the patient must be given informed consent.

We need your help to ensure that your legislators vote for this bill!

Minnesota citizens are still at risk of receiving vaccines containing mercury (Thimerosal). The Material Safety Data Sheet for Thimerosal says that “exposure in children may cause mild to severe mental retardation." (Eli Lilly)

Any time is a good time to call your legislators on this issue. Even if session is over, ask them to vote for this next year.

Please call your senator and representative and ask her/him to vote for the safest possible vaccines – those that are mercury-free. Don’t know your legislators? Call (651) 296-2146 to find your legislators, or go to http://geo.commissions.leg.state.mn.us/districts/start.html.

When you call your legislator, you will get either a voice mail message or a legislative assistant will answer. You can give a very simple message (please support the bill to set a preference for mercury-free vaccines) or you can share more information. Here are some main points:

• I am your constituent. (Provide your address to identify that you are in their district).
• Please vote for SF 1780 HF 1917, “Setting a Preference for Mercury Free Vaccines”.
• Mercury is toxic and has never been tested for safety in vaccines and should not be used until testing has shown that it is safe.
• Mercury-free vaccines are available – We should stop using ones with mercury.
• Seven states have now passed similar legislation, many more are pending.
• Ask what their position is, and let us know at (651) 322-4542.
• If you have a personal story to share, do that.

Your phone call is a powerful message to your senator and representative that this is an important issue to you.

If this is the weekend or evening, you can still call now and leave a message on voice mail - it will be counted.

Questions? Call (651) 322-4542 or contact us at mnhlrp@charter.net.

And can you do one more thing? Pass this information on to others who care about removing mercury.

Thanks!
Jerri Johnson
Minnesota Natural Health Legal Reform Project
http://www.mnhlrp.org