3/17/22 UPDATE:
If you feel strongly about one or all of these bills please send an email to the people listed at the bottom of each section. Please indicate if you are a constituent and ask them for their support. Tell them why you support the bill and share any personal stories or experiences that relate to the bill.
SF2255 (formerly Ssb3105) - Certificate of Need is eliminated for all facilities except nursing homes and expands the ability for doctors, surgical centers, clinics, etc to open in iowa without hindrance.
Certificate of needs laws hinder the free market
By allowing the ability for clinics to build where desired it increases choice in the medical industry and could further improve the quality of medical care, reduce the reliance on hospitals, and potentially drive down costs to the consumer.
SF2335 (formerly SF2028) - Documented consent must be obtained from a parent or guardian for a minor to receive vaccinations.
Having documented consent of the parent prior to administration of a vaccine will help to safeguard children from being given liability free and “unavoidably unsafe” vaccines regardless of location without parental knowledge.
Vaccines are given to children in places outside of a primary care provider's offices such as at school clinics, walk-in pharmacies, and school lunch programs in the summers.
A CNN article back in May stated that based on Iowa’s current code it is up to a provider on whether parental consent is required. While IDPH stated this is not the case during a meeting with ICI last summer, they did not point to a clearly defined code stating that point.
SF2079 - Ensures local authorities do not have the ability to require additional vaccinations and removes the “do not” from the exemption applicability during pandemic section.
Schools should not have the authority to decide what is required for attending government funded schools.
Currently that role resides and should stay with the elected officials who represent the people of Iowa or ideally left up to the parents discretion.
Our religious beliefs and medical issues do not change during times of emergency.
SF2080 -A prohibition on medical screenings at school without written parental consent.
Any screenings at a school should require a parent's consent regardless of type.
The school is not responsible for the upbringing and physical health of a child, rather they are to provide education and a safe learning environment while at school.
With the additional services such as dental check ups, often including sealants, being conducted at school along with other screenings and clinics it is clear we need to ensure parents are informed and have given consent for these to occur.
UPDATE:
Sf2080- parental consent for any screenings done at school passed the Senate Floor unanimously! It moves over to the Iowa House to go through subcommittee and committee before next Friday (March 18th).
SF2269 (Formerly SF2156) - Codifies the reporting requirements for adverse events from Federal Law with enforcement at the state level.
It has been Federal Law since 1986 for healthcare professionals to report to the Vaccine Adverse Events Reporting System.
A 2011 study commissioned by HHS found only 1% of adverse events are ever even reported. A 1993 study done by the FDA found similar rates of 1-2% reporting for adverse events.
Despite this being Federal law there is no enforcement mechanism and as the President of the Iowa Board of Medicine stated in a subcommittee 2 years ago “it is something they should begin educating on”, but they have not already implemented education on.
This needs to be state law so enforcement and education can be handled at the local level, ensuring quality data is obtained and can be utilized to detect safety signals in the current vaccination program.
Please email jack.whitver@legis.iowa.gov jake.chapman@legis.iowa.gov and your senator and ask them to support these bills. Find your representative here.
HF2203 (formerly HF2010) - Gives the right to try off-label drugs for terminally ill or mechanically ventilated individuals.
This bill needs to be broadened to include off-label use for the early treatment of a disease that could prevent hospital admissions in the first place.
Late stage use of off-label drugs when someone is terminal or on a ventilator due to COVID have been found to have significantly less efficacy than early in treatment.
This would still be a good first step but the real issue is how these doctors have been prevented from practicing medicine based on their experience and instead forcing them to follow the blanket “standard of care” provisions determined by government agencies that do not actually treat patients and instead are heavily involved in the research/manufacturing of new cutting edge drugs/vaccines that will cost more money and more time.
UPDATE:
HF2203 passed subcommittee March 9th and now it moves on to the next leg in the process: Full Committee!
HF2298 (formerly HF2040) - Prohibits COVID-19 vaccine being a required vaccine for childcare or schools prior to July 1, 2029.
Given the low risk to children of natural COVID-19 infection and the fact vaccines do not stop transmission, there is no reason for this vaccine to be required and is likely more of a risk to the health of children than the disease itself.
According to an Oxford study this past fall, risk of myocarditis for young men is 14 times higher in the vaccinated than those who have natural infection.
UPDATE:
HF2298 passed subcommittee March 9th and now it moves on to the next leg in the process: Full Committee!
Please email pat.grassley@legis.iowa.gov + matt.windschitl@legis.iowa.gov and your representative and ask them to support these bills. Find your representative here.