Example Testimony on H.604 & S.1391
Great testimony is memorable, brief, and accurate. The following provides a template for your testimony, but we strongly encourage you to write from your heart — tell the committee how this law affects you personally, explain why it will benefit your community, or talk about the risks to health and safety that can happen without this law.
Testimony in Support of H.604 and S.1391
Submitted by [First Last, credentials] July 26, 2023
Thank you, Committee Chairs Representative Decker Senator Cyr and members of the Joint Committee on Public Health, for this opportunity to speak to you in support of House Bill 604 and its companion Senate bill 1391.
My name is [name], and I live/work in [location or organization]. I’m a [parent/professional/role].
I’m testifying in support of strong vaccine laws. I’m a proud vaccine advocate because [your reasons].
[List reasons for taking this position. What is your most compelling reason?
Suggested positions:
If possible, share a personal story about how this law affects you, a loved one, or your community.
Strong vaccine laws uphold the right of parents to choose whether their children will be vaccinated, and allow healthcare providers to provide exemptions based on medical standards.
Vaccines save lives. The effects of vaccine-preventable diseases can be serious and chronic, including pneumonia, encephalitis (brain swelling), heart failure, seizures, blood infection, development disabilities, stroke, hearing or vision loss, hospitalization, and death.
Several other states have successfully passed legislation eliminating religious exemptions to school-ready vaccine laws. These states have seen exemptions drop dramatically, increasing community immunity and keeping schools and communities safer from preventable disease.
All states require vaccination of children enrolling in public schools, state-funded day care, and often private schools, and allow parents to exempt their children from vaccination for medical reasons.
The ease in obtaining non-medical vaccine exemptions is positively correlated with with lower vaccine coverage. Simply stated: Loopholes in vaccine laws put us at risk for deadly diseases.
Communities of color, low-income, and rural populations are disproportionately affected by vaccine-preventable disease due to systemic inequities in social determinants of health, including discrimination, limited access to healthcare, increased likelihood of exposure in essential worker settings, and gaps in education and income.
No major religion practicing in the United States prohibits immunization. In fact, Christian, Muslim, and Jewish faiths agree that vaccines are part of a holy obligation to care for our God-given bodies and to protect the vulnerable.
It is estimated that vaccines given to children born between 1994-2016 will prevent an estimated 381 million illnesses, 24.5 million hospitalizations, 855,000 deaths, and $1.65 trillion in total societal costs.
Use facts, figures, experiences, or narratives to support your position. Include citations for any statement that can be backed up with accurate, reliable data from a credible source of information. You do not need to read these citations, but make sure they are included at the end of your testimony. Example: The Pew Charitable Trusts: Child Vaccination Rates Already Down Because of Covid Fall Again. https://stateline.org/2023/01/12/child-vaccination-rates-already-down-because-of-covid-fall-again
Include any summary remarks and re-state your position in your conclusion. Thank the committee for their time and consideration, and urge them to vote in support of H.604 and S.1391.
Note that any information you provide will be part of the public record and listed online. Do not include any personal information that you are not comfortable sharing. You do not need to include your address or phone number on your testimony.