Urgent action is needed! Tell Governor Polis to veto SB-163.

Published: Jun 22, 2020

Our Stand

  • On Saturday, June 13, the Colorado Senate passed SB-163, a bill that values state-mandated healthcare decisions over what a parent determines is best for their child. The bill has now been passed by both houses and is awaiting signature from Governor Polis. If the governor does not veto the bill, it will go into effect immediately after passage. Passage occurs upon signing or 30 days from the date the governor receives it. (Note: An amendment was added to the bill that excludes some homeschoolers; specifically, those who do not utilize any publicly funded programs.)
  • Sponsored by Rep. Kyle Mullica (D-34), Sen. Julie Gonzalez (D-34), Sen. Kevin Priola (D-25) and Rep. Dylan Roberts (D-26), SB-163 is a discriminatory and unnecessary bill that violates citizens’ constitutional rights and privacy rights.
  • SB-163 takes the personal belief exemption and religious exemption presently afforded to Colorado students under law and puts them into a single category, non-medical. Legislative analysts and opponents of the bill believe this move will make it easy for lawmakers to later target the non-medical exemption for removal.
  • SB-163 perpetuates systemic injustice by creating a new minority class that is marginalized for their religious and philosophical beliefs and then discriminated against because of those beliefs. It forces families who decline or delay one or more state-recommended vaccinations to be subjected to a state-mandated reeducation program. The only other option is to get their sincerely held beliefs validated by a medical provider. However, there is no guarantee that any medical provider will sign off on those beliefs, and so it’s not an assured mechanism of relief.
  • The bill also forces students who deviate from any state-recommended vaccinations into a state tracking system that lacks informed consent and has no privacy protections. Students’ sensitive medical information will not be protected under HIPAA or FERPA.
  • SB-163 requires Colorado to explicitly follow the vaccination recommendations of the Colorado Department of Public Health. This one-size-fits-all approach is dangerous and lays the groundwork for unlimited vaccines to be administered to all Colorado children, including the controversial HPV vaccine, yearly flu vaccines and the experimental, fast-tracked and liability-free COVID-19 vaccine (if and when it becomes available).
  • All in all, SB-163 is unwarranted legislation that fosters discrimination, wastes taxpayer dollars and endangers Colorado families. Advocates must rise up NOW to stop this egregious bill. Please email, call and tweet Governor Polis immediately and ask him to veto SB-163! And then please share this campaign with your friends, family and neighbors.

Have A Question?

Despite massive opposition from thousands who protested at the State Capitol and flooded lawmakers with emails, SB-163 was passed by the Colorado General Assembly on Saturday, June 13. The bill was aggressively pushed through the legislature, which even held a Sunday session to advance the legislation in the face of a pandemic and extreme civil unrest.

The bill’s sponsors claim that SB-163 is needed to improve public health. However, the state’s vaccination rates have not led to any infectious illness outbreaks warranting such legislation.

Moreover, last June Governor Polis signed an executive order aimed at increasing Colorado’s Kindergarten immunization coverage rates. He outlined numerous directives, and the results of those efforts have not been made publicly available. Therefore, we don’t know if the targets or initiatives he established via the executive order have been successful. That makes this bill premature and even more unnecessary.

All in all, SB-163 erodes health freedom in Colorado and violates families’ civil and constitutional protections. Specifically, it:

  • Discriminates against individuals by forcing them into a state-mandated program that tries to reeducate them on their sincerely held religious or philosophical beliefs. Individuals could instead try to get their sincerely held beliefs validated by a medical provider; however, there is no guarantee that any provider will sign off on those beliefs, so it’s not an assured mechanism of relief.
  • Violates families’ privacy by forcing all students who delay or decline any required vaccine into the state vaccine tracking system (CIIS), which lacks informed consent and any privacy protections. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA45 CFR 164.512(b)(1)(i)is a federal law that allows disclosure of private and protected health information without knowledge or consent for conducting public health surveillance, investigations or interventions. This includes information in state vaccine registries and tracking systems, including CIIS, that can be used to identify individuals and/or groups of people who are not vaccinated with all doses of all the federally recommended vaccines so interventions can be applied. Approved interventions include home visits. The only privacy protection currently afforded is FERPA (The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act), and that will be lost if SB-163 is enacted.
  • Deceives legislators and the public by spinning the state’s vaccination and exemption rates to create the illusion of a crisis. SB-163 supporters have repeatedly stated that Colorado has some of the lowest vaccination rates in the country, and this misrepresentation is often cited by the media. The rates that have been quoted are for kindergarten students only and do not reflect all students. If officials instead used the statewide rates posted by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE), the MMR rates cited are 94.32%, which a is much higher figure than those commonly quoted. Moreover, the state’s vaccination rates are likely even higher. Many schools are not proactively collecting missing records, so the data they have is incomplete and inaccurate.
  • CDPHE and public health officials have a long history of spinning data, most recently with the way that they calculatedCOVID-19 deaths. It’s incumbent on the Colorado legislature to demand transparency and accurate data before they decide to enact laws and public health policies.
  • Wastes taxpayer dollars on unnecessary legislation when the state is facing a severe budget shortfall. The legislature should not be passing unnecessary laws that create additional costs when cuts are needed.
  • Creates additional burdens and costs not reflected in the fiscal note for schools by requiring every school to provide yearly comparative vaccination and exemption rates for MMR vaccines, with the ability to report on all vaccine rates. This information is already available on the CDPHEwebsite and has been available since HB 14-1288 was passed.
  • Requires schools to “engage” with students and families in order to achieve a stated 95% vaccination rate goal for all vaccines required for school. Schools are already bogged down with numerous administrative requirements; the state legislature should not be placing additional costly burdens on them. The current fiscal notefor SB-163 does not take any costs it imposes on schools into consideration.
  • Puts Colorado’s educational system in further jeopardy. As it stands, the state will likely lose students due to uncertainties around COVID-19. Because SB-163 applies to students of all ages, adults who do not want to fulfill the state’s vaccination requirements may choose to opt out of Colorado’s higher education system, which has been facing an enrollment crisis and is already in dire financial straits.
  • Tell Governor Polis that SB-163 is harmful to Coloradans and must be stopped. Please email, call and tweet him NOW and ask him to veto SB-163 immediately!

*Stand for Health Freedom would like to thank the National Vaccine Information Center for its analysis of SB-163 and the data cited in this campaign.

Jill Hines

Directory of Advocacy
A former banker turned homeschool mom, Jill Hines began researching alternatives to conventional medicine in 2010 and what she discovered changed the trajectory of her life. She corrected a worrisome health issue, and embraced a natural approach to wellness. Advocating for informed consent and parental rights became a full-time mission when she joined the board of the Georgia Coalition for Vaccine Choice and later became the co-director of Health Freedom Louisiana. Due to her advocacy efforts during the COVID crisis, Jill was one of 25 Louisianans selected by Central City News as “a hero of the constitutional crisis.” She was also presented the Impact Award for Outstanding Public Service from the government watchdog organization Citizens for a New Louisiana. Jill now represents hundreds of millions of Americans who experienced censorship due to the Biden administration's efforts to suppress disfavored speech as a plaintiff in the landmark lawsuit Missouri v. Biden. Jill holds a marketing degree from Louisiana Tech University and now passionately “sells” health freedom full-time. Serving as Stand for Health Freedom’s advocacy director provides an incredible opportunity to advance the growing movement to preserve the sacred right to refuse unwanted medical interventions for ourselves and our children without fear of retribution.
“We have lived through a terrifying societal, psychological, and medical experiment which afforded us a knowledge that our forefathers tried to impart and we can no longer ignore: Our freedom is tenuous. For our children’s sake, the time is now to take a stand for health freedom.”

Chrissy Scott

Executive Assistant and Social Media Manager

A labor and delivery nurse with a lifelong passion for maternal and fetal health, Chrissy Scott left her job of 19 years after learning the truth about the harms caused by the medical system. In 2009, she was mandated by her employer to receive the H1N1 vaccine during her first trimester of pregnancy with her second child. She was assured that the vaccine was “safe and effective” for pregnant women, but her son was born with a kidney defect that could have been fatal. She didn’t connect the dots to vaccine injury until several years later when the declining health of her oldest son drove her to seek answers outside of allopathic medicine.

This personal journey ignited in her a new passion for truth and transparency in health care. As SHF’s Executive Assistant, Chrissy facilitates communication and local advocacy initiatives alongside Leah Wilson for their home state of Indiana. She also manages and creates graphics for SHF’s social media accounts and the website’s swag shop.

Chrissy earned her nursing degree from Anderson University and served her entire career at her local hospital. While she’s no longer a floor nurse, her five very active boys frequently test her nursing skills! She homeschools her children and has been co-owner of a successful home décor sign business with her sister.

“Parents, being the experts on their own children, are best suited to make decisions for the well-being of their family. To do this properly, they must be given full and accurate information and be free from force or coercion.”

Ellen Chappelle

Writer/Editor

Ellen Chappelle serves as SHF’s resident wordsmith. A seasoned writer and editor, she’s enthusiastic about ensuring that our content is clear, concise, and inspiring.

Ellen is most energized by working on projects that transform lives. A truth seeker as well as a journalist, she’s disturbed by the lack of accuracy in today’s media and determined to help share fact rather than fiction. And having found greater healing with alternative approaches, she’s also passionate about preserving our freedom to make informed health choices.

Past projects include serving as regional editor of a dog magazine, color and trend specialist for a small cosmetics company, arts columnist, newspaper reporter, ghostwriter, and creator of website content for artists and small businesses.

With a degree in journalism and theatre, Ellen is also a performer. She enjoyed singing and dancing on a cruise ship and traveling with a national musical theatre tour, as well as recording industrial videos, television commercials, and radio voiceovers. She also creates handcrafted jewelry in wire, chain maille, and fused glass.

“Despite what some would have us believe, the fact remains that this nation was founded on biblical principles by people who wanted freedom to worship God and live their lives without government involvement. It’s never been more critical to fight for those rights.”

LEAH WILSON

Executive Director and Co-founder

An attorney with a background in complex litigation and advocacy, Leah Wilson is passionate about children’s health and has researched and worked on child welfare issues for more than a decade.

The overmedication of children in foster care as a form of behavior management is what compelled Leah to become an advocate and foster parent. During her time as a court-appointed special advocate for abused and neglected children, Leah witnessed the rampant use of psychiatric drugs among foster kids. She also discovered that, in addition to many extensive requirements, the state had a policy that all foster children and foster families be fully vaccinated, without exception. Through her involvement in law, health and the foster care system, it became abundantly clear to Leah that the single most important issue affecting child welfare in the United States is the practice of one-size-fits-all medicine via medical mandates. This motivated Leah to expand her advocacy beyond foster care to all children nationwide and to start Stand for Health Freedom (SHF) in 2019.

A graduate of the Saint Louis University School of Law, Leah holds dual bachelor degrees in political science and Spanish from Indiana University. In addition to her advocacy work with SHF, Leah is the owner and former operations director of MaxLiving Indy, one of the largest natural health centers in the Midwest. She is also an educator on holistic health as well as a sought-after speaker on issues ranging from religious rights to greening your home.

“Parental rights and religious freedom are God-given natural rights that cannot arbitrarily be taken away by government authorities. Parents are the single most important factor in a child’s success; I stand in full support of this sacred relationship.”

Sayer JI

Director and Co-founder

Sayer Ji is a widely recognized researcher, author, lecturer, activist, and educator on natural health modalities. Among his many roles, he is an advisor to Stand for Health Freedom, a reviewer and editor of the International Journal of Human Nutrition and Functional Medicine, an advisory board member of the National Health Federation, a steering committee member of the Global GMO Free Coalition, and the co-founder and CEO of Systome Biomed Inc., a revolutionary scientific validation framework.

Most notably, Sayer is the founder of Greenmedinfo.com, the world’s most widely referenced, evidence-based natural health resource of its kind. He founded the platform in 2008 to provide an open access, evidence-based resource supporting natural and integrative modalities. Today, Greenmedinfo.com has more than a million visits per month, serving as a trusted resource on myriad health and wellness topics to physicians, healthcare practitioners, clinicians, researchers and consumers worldwide.

Sayer attended Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, where he studied under the notable American philosopher Dr. Bruce W. Wilshire. He received a Bachelor of Arts in philosophy in 1995, with a focus on the philosophy of science. His new book, Regenerate: Unlocking Your Body’s Radical Resilience through the New Biology, was released in March 2020 and is an Amazon bestseller.

“I truly believe that education will be our greatest shield against accelerating the erosion of civil liberties, including the right to bodily sovereignty, as well as the greatest catalyst for positive change on this planet moving forward.”

Bailey Kuykendoll

Associate Director

Designer and visual marketer Bailey Kuykendoll began advocating for health and religious freedom and parental rights in 2014 after learning she was pregnant. A self-described skeptic, she’s not afraid to ask questions and do copious amounts of research to reach her own conclusions.

She’s also not afraid of hard work. As SHF’s Associate Director, Bailey truly keeps the organizational boat afloat. Working closely with our State Directors in each state, she ensures that SHF has calls-to-action for health-freedom bills and petitions on our website and across social media, spreading the word to encourage people to contact their legislators. She builds campaigns, graphics, website pages, and relationships.

Bailey earned a design degree from Harrington Institute of Design in 2008. She then served as a production assistant on several shows for HGTV, followed by working behind the scenes on the X Factor, small indie films, music videos, and documentaries. Bailey joined Health Freedom Florida after moving to the East Coast, becoming co-president of the grassroots organization in 2019. While at Health Freedom Florida, she successfully filed a state bill designed to stop discrimination based on your health status. She joined SHF in the fall of 2020.

“God placed a calling on my heart back in 2008 to be a part of something bigger for Him. Twelve years later, the opportunity came knocking to help others lean into their natural-born rights and take a stand for themselves and their families. I knew this is where I was called to be, and I have never looked back.”

Valerie Borek

POLICY ANALYST

Valerie Borek is a passionate advocate for health rights and family privacy. A mother of two with degrees in law and biochemistry, she is perfectly positioned to lead SHF advocates through complex health-rights policy. Her work is guided by a love for American values, uncovering truth, and a passion for empowering others. Valerie has served as SHF’s policy analyst since 2021.

Valerie’s understanding of the value of freedom to make one’s own health care choices is not just academic. Health freedom has kept her boys alive and thriving. Her choice to have home births jump-started her advocacy for health privacy. Her eldest son survived a rare and deadly cancer because her family was able to navigate medical care while holding onto values that were sometimes at odds with recommendations.

Before joining SHF, Valerie specialized in health and parenting rights at her boutique law firm, especially surrounding birth and vaccine rights. She advocated for informed consent in health care and transparent food labeling in her state. She helped found the Birth Rights Bar Association and was honored to present their argument to the Delaware Supreme Court that midwifery is not the practice of medicine, in support of a trailblazing midwife.

“Health is the foundation of how we show up in this world to love, serve, and create. Americans are blessed to live in a country that gets stronger the more we protect fundamental rights, like informed consent and privacy, so individuals and families can thrive.”

Mary Katherine LaCroix

DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT AND NONPROFIT ADMINISTRATION

Mary Katherine LaCroix became involved with SHF as a volunteer in 2019 when the religious exemption for childhood vaccines was at risk in her home state of New Jersey. She believes strongly that parents have the responsibility for their children’s health, education, and faith formation and that only they have the right to make medical decisions and manage their care.

She has worked in fundraising for more than 25 years at various educational, cultural, human services, and political organizations. A graduate of the University of Scranton, she holds a degree in History and English Literature.

Mary Katherine is thrilled to have this opportunity to work with and help grow SHF, believing that together we can achieve even greater impact in protecting our rights and caring for our loved ones. She enjoys spending time with her husband, two children and large extended family, as well as volunteering to support the special needs community.

“Parents are taught that they must trust the experts. That’s what we did, until we learned that the experts can be wrong and don’t always know what is best for your child. Parents should instead feel empowered by their natural, God-given ability to advocate and care for their children. SHF is here to give them the tools to do just that.”

Sheila Ealey

Political Analyst

Dr. Sheila Lewis Ealey is the founder and former director of the Creative Learning Center of Louisiana, a therapeutic day school for children who are on the autism spectrum or struggling with other nonverbal intellectual disabilities. The wife of a former U.S. Coast Guard Officer, she is also the mother of four children. Her son was diagnosed with severe autism spectrum disorder at 18 months. He is now a young man and considered moderate and emerging.

Sheila and her twins were featured in the documentary “Vaxxed.” She has traveled extensively, advocating for medical freedom. She continues to educate disenfranchised parents about their fundamental rights to religious and philosophical exemptions, their ability to live sustainably on a limited budget, and the importance of nutrition and biomedical interventions for optimum health with autism. She also writes individual homeschool curriculums for parents of children with autism or intellectual disorders. Sheila is a trustee for the Autism Trust, USA, and on the board of directors of Children’s Health Defense.

Over the past 20 years, she has educated herself to use natural healing modalities for the body and brain. Her formal education includes degrees in communication, special education curriculum, and a doctorate in Educational Leadership in Special Education. Sheila serves as an assistant content advisor and political analyst for SHF.

“It is not the Constitution’s job to protect our liberties, as it is not a philosophical document but a legal one. Its purpose is to limit the powers and authority of our federal government in hopes of preventing an intrusion upon our unalienable rights. We are obliged to maintain our government within its limits.”

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