HSLDA E-Lert



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From the HSLDA E-lert Service...
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January 9, 2007

Kentucky--Bill Requires Immunization
for Pre-teen Girls. Calls Needed!

Dear HSLDA Members and Friends,

Shortly after the Kentucky legislature opened last week a bill was
introduced that would require all Kentucky girls between the ages of
10 to 14 to be immunized against a certain sexually transmitted virus.

If passed, House Bill 143 would require all middle school aged girls
to be immunized against the human papillomavirus or HPV before they
can be enrolled in a public or private middle school. The only
currently available vaccine is Gardasil and it attempts to protect
against four types of HPV that are sexually transmitted. While two of
the types of HPV cause cervical cancer, the other two types cause
genital warts.

We believe that immunizations, particularly immunizations of this
nature, should not be forced upon children. Individual families should
be allowed to decide whether or not they want their children to
receive them.

House Bill 143 has been sent to the House Committee on Health and
Welfare. Please call the committee members listed below now and urge
them to oppose this bill! Parents should have the right to determine
what immunizations should be given to their children.

Please send this email to all your friends as well.

REQUESTED ACTION:

1) Please call and/or email each of the House Health and Welfare Committee members listed below and give them this message in your own words:

"Please oppose House Bill 143 as it violates parental rights and forces immunizations on those who may not need it. Parents and not the state are better able to determine whether the immunization for HPV should be given to their daughters."

You do not need to identify yourself as a homeschoolers, but instead can call as a concerned parent.

You can also call the Toll-Free Legislative Message Line at 1-800-372-7181 to leave a message for each committee member.

House Health and Welfare Committee Members

Rep. Tom Burch (D), Chair
Legislative Phone: (502) 564-8100 Ext. 601
Home Phone: (502) 454-4002
Email Address: Tom.Burch@lrc.ky.gov

Rep. Bob M DeWeese (R), Vice Chair
Legislative Phone: (502) 564-4334 Ext. 4334
Home Phone: (502) 426-5565
Email Address: Bob.DeWeese@lrc.ky.gov

Rep. Brandon Spencer (D), Vice Chair
Legislative Phone: (502) 564-8100 Ext. 659
Home Phone: (606) 874-1477
Work Phone: (606) 886-7030
Email Address: James.Spencer@lrc.ky.gov

Rep. David Watkins (D), Vice Chair
Legislative Phone: (502) 564-8100 Ext. 700
Home Phone: (270) 826-0952
Email Address: David.Watkins@lrc.ky.gov

Rep. John A Arnold Jr (D)
Legislative Phone: (502) 564-8100 Ext. 709
Work Phone: (270) 333-4641
Email Address: John.Arnold@lrc.ky.gov

Rep. Scott W Brinkman (R)
Legislative Phone: (502) 564-8100 Ext. 682
Home Phone: (502) 893-8769
Email Address: click here

Rep. James R Comer Jr (R)
Legislative Phone: (502) 564-8100 Ext. 613
Home Phone: (270) 487-5585
Email Address: click here

Rep. Robert R Damron (D)
Legislative Phone: (502) 564-8100 Ext. 671
Home Phone: (859) 887-1744
Email Address: Robert.Damron@lrc.ky.gov

Rep. David Floyd (R)
Legislative Phone: (502) 564-8100 Ext. 698
Home Phone: (502) 350-0986
Email Address: click here

Rep. Joni L Jenkins (D)
Legislative Phone: (502) 564-8100 Ext. 692
Home Phone: (502) 447-4324
Email Address: Joni.Jenkins@lrc.ky.gov

Rep. Mary Lou Marzian (D)
Legislative Phone: (502) 564-8100 Ext. 643
Home Phone: (502) 451-5032
Email Address: MaryLou.Marzian@lrc.ky.gov

Rep. Darryl T Owens (D)
Legislative Phone: (502) 564-8100 Ext. 685
Home Phone: (502) 584-6341
Email Address: click here

Rep. Ruth Ann Palumbo (D)
Legislative Phone: (502) 564-8100 Ext. 600
Home Phone: (859) 299-2597
Email Address: RuthAnn.Palumbo@lrc.ky.gov

Rep. Ancel Smith (D)
Legislative Phone: (502) 564-8100 Ext. 668
Home Phone: (606) 785-3844
Email Address: click here

Rep. Kathy W Stein (D)
Legislative Phone: (502) 564-8100 Ext. 675
Home Phone: (859) 252-1500
Work Phone: (859) 225-4269
Email Address: Kathy.Stein@lrc.ky.gov

Rep. Susan Westrom (D)
Legislative Phone: (502) 564-8100 Ext. 740
Work Phone: (859) 266-7581
Email Address: Susan.Westrom@lrc.ky.gov

Rep. Addia Wuchner (R)
Legislative Phone: (502) 564-8100 Ext. 707
Work Phone: (859) 525-6698
Email Address: click here

BACKGROUND:

Human papillomavirus, or HPV, is a group of viruses that have about 100 different strains or types. Over 30 of these viruses are sexually transmitted. While most HPV infections are dealt with by the body's immune system and no symptoms occur, there are several types that can cause cancer or genital warts. For more information about HPV see the Center for Disease Control and Prevention information here: .

Those who are most likely to get HPV are those who have sex at an early age, have many sex partners, or have a sex partner who has had many partners.

However, the vaccine, Gardasil, will not cure or treat HPV. There is currently no cure for these sexually transmitted viruses. Even the FDA and the CDE admit the only "cure" is abstinence before marriage and a monogamous relationship during marriage.

HSLDA believes that parents should be the ones to determine whether this immunization is right for their daughters, and not forced upon them by the legislature. This is more of a parental rights issue than a homeschool issue. However, it is vitally important that homeschool families take a stand for parental freedom in Kentucky.

Please call now!

Thank you for your calls on behalf of parents rights in Kentucky.

Sincerely,
Thomas J. (Tj) Schmidt
Staff Attorney

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Home School Legal Defense Association
P.O. Box 3000
Purcellville, Virginia 20134
Phone: (540) 338-5600
Fax: (540) 338-2733
Email: info@hslda.org
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