The Illinois legislature will vote to amend a law on January 19 that would authorize healthcare providers to involuntarily enter residents of the state into an “immunization data registry.”
Illinois House Bill 4244 would amend the state’s Immunization Data Registry Act to require “health care providers, physician’s designees or pharmacist’s designees” to provide the Illinois Department of Public Health with the private medical information and immunization records of every Illinois resident.
“Health care providers, physician’s designees, or pharmacist’s designees shall (rather than may) provide immunization data to be entered into the immunization data registry,” the proposed resolution states.
The amendment would essentially nullify the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, which protects “all identifiable health information” from disclosure without a patient’s consent and violate the 1974 Right of Privacy Act, which prohibits the disclosure of personally identifiable information without the consent of the individual.
The measure assures residents who want their immunization data removed from the registry may request “immunization data exemption,” but it does not make clear what qualifies a resident for exemption.
According to HB 4244, immunization data exemption forms must include all of the following information:
(1) A description of the immunization data registry and its purpose.(2) That the health care provider shall report immunization data to the Department to be entered into the immunization data registry. 3) That the patient or the patient’s parent or guardian, if the patient is less than 18 years of age, has a right to exempt disclosure of immunization data to the registry and may prevent disclosure by signing an immunization data exemption form. (4) That the patient or the patient’s parent or guardian, if the patient is less than 18 years of age, may have the individual’s information removed from the immunization data registry. (5) Instructions on how to have the information removed.”
Democrat Rep. Bob Morgan introduced the bill on January 5 and if passed would take effect on January 1, 2023.
Rep. Bob Morgan
Legislature will vote on the H4244 during a House Human Services Committee Hearing on January 19 at 9:00 am.
The Children’s Health Defense is urging opponents of HB4244 to submit a witness slip in opposition of the amendment and call members of the committee to demand they scrap the bill:
MAKE THE CALL Go to this link to find the members of the committee and click on their name to get their office phone number. https://www.ilga.gov/house/committees/members.asp?committeeID=2670&fbclid=IwAR3qmBOYT1JkZbm8gpTpnC57rLjPnodMabl81ZBm17VOhxcnhrhpiPirzyU
WITNESS SLIPS
Click the following link to fill out the witness slip. https://my.ilga.gov/WitnessSlip/Create/137267?committeeHearingId=18917&LegislationId=137267&LegislationDocumentId=172649&fbclid=IwAR3L5x5ciYpfohUS8SKQ9qr4VcIQyGBHlClUJ_GOZzx6zxckB2x9hpYnG9E
Fill out the form as shown in the sample witness slip below.
Be sure to check the OPPONENT box.
“We need everyone on this ASAP!” the non-profit group warned in a Sunday newsletter. “If this bill passes, ALL residents of Illinois will be INVOLUNTARILY entered into the “Immunization Data Registry” controlled by the Illinois Department of Public Health.
Similar legislation, H.R. 550, also known as the Immunization Infrastructure Modernization Act of 2021, was passed by the House of Representatives on December 2. If passed by the Senate and signed into law, the measure would facilitate the creation of a federal vaccination database, allowing the federal government to track the vaccination status of all U.S. citizens.
Proponents of the legislation contend the vaccine database will help notify patients when they are due for a recommended vaccine.
“These systems can allow providers to keep vaccines and supplies in stock, prevent over – or under – vaccination, remind patients when they are due for a recommended vaccine, and identify areas with low vaccination rates to ensure equitable distribution of vaccines,” the bill’s main sponsor, Democratic Rep. Ann Kuster from New Hampshire, she said in a statement.
However, the sweeping assault on medical freedom could further facilitate discrimination of the unvaccinated by employers, law enforcement agencies, airlines, railways, taxi services, virtually every service provider to enforce Joe Biden’s compulsory vaccination vision.
“These systems are designed to allow for the sharing of crucial information and maintenance of records. Do we really trust the government to protect our medical records?” Republican Rep. Mary Miller of Illinois who voted against the legislation contends. “The bill’s author even bragged in her press release that these systems will help the government remind patients when they are due for a recommended vaccine and identify areas with low vaccination rates to ensure equitable distribution of vaccines. This was clearly a legislative tool to enforce vaccine mandates and force their Orwellian rules onto those who do not comply.”