The public hearing on H.604 and S.1391 took place on Wednesday, July 26. There’s still time to submit a brief comment in support of these bills that would remove religious exemptions to the state’s school-ready vaccine requirements.

Who should testify?

Public comment periods are a chance for everyone to have their voice heard in our lawmaking process. We encourage any pro-vaccine individual to submit a comment on H.604 and S.1391! It’s important that our lawmakers know that these bills are important to the majority of voters in our state, and all perspectives are welcome, whether you’re a parent, a medical provider, an expert on public health or science, a faith leader, an educator, if you care about someone who depends on vaccines to stay healthy, or if you simply support common sense public health laws.

How do I sign up?

When your written testimony is ready, email it to:

JointCommittee.PublicHealth@malegislature.gov.

Please include your name, address, phone number, and organization, if any, on the submitted testimony. Include "Public Health Committee Testimony, H.604" in the subject line of the email.

What should I say?

Good testimony is brief, to the point, and personal. A page of text or less is ideal; we recommend citing sources in writing when you present facts or data.

Speak from your heart and your experience — why are strong vaccine laws important to you? What memorable information can you share, whether it’s data, a personal story, or a key message? Can you debunk common myths or misinformation? What’s at risk if we don’t pass this bill, and what will be protected? Keep your tone positive, demonstrate respect and empathy for others, and always share accurate information.

Our talking points can help get you started. For help writing or editing your testimony, contact us.