I heard this on the news today and was in a bit of shock; so I found this article. It sounds so unbelievable, I'd like to confirm its authenticity with the state government. _________________________________________
MA Pandemic Bill allows Police to enter homes, Detain Without warrant Written by Mike Cohen Wednesday, 02 September 2009
A "pandemic response bill" currently making its way through the Massachusetts state legislature would allow authorities to forcefully quarantine citizens in the event of a health emergency, compel health providers to vaccinate citizens, authorize forceful entry into private dwellings and destruction of citizen property and impose fines on citizens for noncompliance.
If citizens refuse to comply with isolation or quarantine orders in the event of a health emergency, they may be imprisoned for up to 30 days and fined $1,000 per day that the violation continues.
Massachusetts' pandemic response bill
"Pandemic Response Bill" 2028 was passed by the Massachusetts state Senate on April 28 and is now awaiting approval in the House.
As stated in the bill, upon declaration by the governor that an emergency exists that is considered detrimental to public health or upon declaration of a state of emergency, a local public health authority, with approval of the commissioner, may exercise the following authorities (emphasis added):
* to require the owner or occupier of premises to permit entry into and investigation of the premises;
* to close, direct, and compel the evacuation of, or to decontaminate or cause to be decontaminated any building or facility, and to allow the reopening of the building or facility when the danger has ended;
* to decontaminate or cause to be decontaminated, or to destroy any material;
* to restrict or prohibit assemblages of persons;
* to require a health care facility to provide services or the use of its facility, or to transfer the management and supervision of the health care facility to the department or to a local public health authority;
* to control ingress to and egress from any stricken or threatened public area, and the movement of persons and materials within the area;
* to adopt and enforce measures to provide for the safe disposal of infectious waste and human remains, provided that religious, cultural, family, and individual beliefs of the deceased person shall be followed to the extent possible when disposing of human remains, whenever that may be done without endangering the public health;
* to procure, take immediate possession from any source, store, or distribute any anti-toxins, serums, vaccines, immunizing agents, antibiotics, and other pharmaceutical agents or medical supplies located within the commonwealth as may be necessary to respond to the emergency;
* to require in-state health care providers to assist in the performance of vaccination, treatment, examination, or testing of any individual as a condition of licensure, authorization, or the ability to continue to function as a health care provider in the commonwealth;
* to waive the commonwealth's licensing requirements for health care professionals with a valid license from another state in the United States or whose professional training would otherwise qualify them for an appropriate professional license in the commonwealth;
* to allow for the dispensing of controlled substance by appropriate personnel consistent with federal statutes as necessary for the prevention or treatment of illness;
* to authorize the chief medical examiner to appoint and prescribe the duties of such emergency assistant medical examiners as may be required for the proper performance of the duties of office;
* to collect specimens and perform tests on any animal, living or deceased;
* to exercise authority under sections 95 and 96 of chapter 111;
* to care for any emerging mental health or crisis counseling needs that individuals may exhibit, with the consent of the individuals
State and local agencies responding to the public health emergency would be required to exercise their powers over transportation routes, communication devices, carriers, public utilities, fuels, food, clothing and shelter, according to the legislation.
Local public health authorities will be required to keep records of reports containing the name and location of all people who have been reported, their disease, injury, or health condition and the name of the person reporting the case. In addition, citizens may be subject to "involuntary transportation."
Line 341 of the bill states, "Law enforcement authorities, upon order of the commissioner or his agent or at the request of a local public health authority pursuant to such order, shall assist emergency medical technicians or other appropriate medical personnel in the involuntary transportation of such person to the tuberculosis treatment center. No law enforcement authority or medical personnel shall be held criminally or civilly liable as a result of an act or omission carried out in good faith in reliance on said order."
This needs to be stopped. Where is the organizing on this issue? Come on, folks, we need to put our heads together on this, as Lyme patients, and get going on this one, just like when we fight for our LLMDs!
We should have the phone numbers of the MA state legislature and governor's office posted here so we can start calling.
MA folks?????
Posted by Cold Feet (Member # 9882) on :
Robin,
I agree that people need to get involved. Sorry to be blunt, but the web site you include seems to be heavy on the donation-asking and such. I clicked around too and found some dead links, like this one: http://www.healthfreedomusa.org/?page_id=186
But good point -- call your representative and get involved. This legal stuff pending is really weird!
Posted by alliebridge (Member # 9103) on :
Critics Slam Pandemic Response Bill Some Say Proposal Would Cause Panic
POSTED: 5:08 pm EDT September 4, 2009 UPDATED: 6:30 pm EDT September 4, 2009
BOSTON -- A bill aimed at the state's response to a flu pandemic is being slammed by critics who say it would cause a pandemic panic.
NewsCenter 5's Jorge Quiroga reported that even one state lawmaker who supported the legislation is having second thoughts.
The Senate's Pandemic Response Bill anticipates a new possible outbreak of the H1N1 virus this fall. Its chief sponsor said it is not draconian.
"The governor has to declare a public emergency for any of these provisions to take place. There is no mandatory vaccination," said Sen. Richard Moore.
No vaccine exists for the H1N1 -- also known as the swine flu. The bill calls for the state to forcefully quarantine someone infected and makes it a serious crime not to comply -- with jail time or a $1,000 a day fine.
"Ridiculous. It's absolutely ridiculous. So many people are going to get H1N1. It's not the way to do it," said Jim Callahan, of West Newton.
"We have enough restrictions on us. I don't think it would even work," said Lynda Christian, of Waban.
Republican Sen. Robert Hedlund, of Weymouth, voted for the measure and said he now regrets it.
"There is a fine line between protecting our civil liberties and protecting public health. And there's areas of this bill that may cross that line," he said.
But its chief proponent argues the state's power to quarantine dates back to the influenza epidemic of the early 1900s.
"We all, as citizens, have rights, but we also have a responsibility not to make other people sick and perhaps kill them by spreading a dangerous disease," Moore said.
Ironically, conservative critics and officials with the American Civil Liberties Union are on the same page.
'"Any type of a policy that makes people scared tends to drive them underground, and that's terrible from a public safety and public health point of view," said Carol Rose, of the ACLU of Massachusetts.
The Senate's Pandemic Bill now passes on to the House, which may take it up as soon as next week.
Posted by lymie_in_md (Member # 14197) on :
Flat out the government has to get out of the medical business. Its too rift with special interests and not ours. We need to tell government to respect our freedom, and get out of the medical business.
However it maybe worse then this, there is a swine flu internation converence in DC. I have a link to the agenda, I posted it has a topic.
The following is a link to the agenda: Talk about fear mongering without justification:
Just wanted to add: there should create a law making sure vaccines are never mandatory in any state. Mainly to protect our freedom!
Posted by 22dreams (Member # 17846) on :
It's absolutely fear mongering. Also, it's funny how some illnesses get the media attention, instilling fear and therefore awareness in the population (i.e. EEE, West Nile Virus).
People around here know more about preventing and are more concerned about West Nile than ticks and lyme disease. Despite the statistics.
Taking away our freedom to choose to vaccinate or not, especially given our health, would be a travesty.
I suspect that it may wind up being mandatory among healthcare professionals depending on the hospitals governing their workplaces. Maybe I am optimistic to think it would not extend beyond that.
However:
Massachusetts residents, find a list of representatives by town on the URL below; just click on the links provided for contact information for your rep.
Same goes for the upcoming lyme physician protection bill (1148) - an act relevant to the treatment of chronic lyme disease.
First of all, can you imagine the public's thinking if they get the flu? Like, better not tell anyone, or I might be quarantined or worse.
Second, this is the most draconian thing I've ever seen this country do. The nerve of controlling all citizens like this, including all medical providers - comply or lose your license.
No.
Get going on calling your reps and the governor. It's the governor who can declare the emergency and start the gulag off.
I suppose we who aren't in the state could call the governor's office and give them an earful.
Coldfeet, the HealthFreedomUSA site does have advertising and sales of products going on, but I think it's being done to raise money for their political work. These folks fly to meetings and conferences and just do a lot of work for various world health causes, including keeping our food safe, etc, so that's what the money is supporting, I think.
Anywho, they have a citizen's petition at their site asking the FDA not to use the vaccines before safety testing has been conducted. It's easy to do.
Individuals and organizations are signing. This is important to do, to present a document with millions in opposition to what's going on.
[ 09-05-2009, 01:49 AM: Message edited by: Robin123 ]
Posted by Robin123 (Member # 9197) on :
Ok, I went ahead and got the contact info for MA Governor Patrick.
Boston office:
ph: 617-725-4000 ph: 888-870-7770 (in state) fax: 617-727-9725
Springfield Office:
ph: 413-784-1200
Washington DC office:
ph: 202-624-7713 fax: 202-624-7714
Plus there's an email form on the governor's site that anyone can fill out and send a message.
There -- harumphhhhhhhhhhhhhh................................................................................
[ 09-05-2009, 01:50 AM: Message edited by: Robin123 ]
Posted by bettyg (Member # 6147) on :
excellent work robin; thanks ....hugs/kisses
Posted by Robin123 (Member # 9197) on :
Thx, Betty - what I've done on a recovered day, sigh...
A little more on some of the personnel behind this:
Then click on Topic - "Swine Flu: Natural Pandemic or Man-Made Pandemonium" and read about who some of the players are - homeland security, big pharma cxns.
[ 09-05-2009, 01:56 PM: Message edited by: Robin123 ]
Posted by Robin123 (Member # 9197) on :
22dreams, just saw that you mentioned a MA Lyme bill - looked at it - it's going to offer protection to physicians - the only bright piece of news in this thread! Congrats on that one -
Posted by Robin123 (Member # 9197) on :
bumping up for any weekend discussion...
Posted by Pinelady (Member # 18524) on :
Sounds like they have figured out a way to profit from hysteria.
Need some help figuring that one out. Obama says it
will be voluntary so I am hoping he keeps his word.
Posted by Robin123 (Member # 9197) on :
Keep us posted, grandmother - this is pretty important.
Posted by Robin123 (Member # 9197) on :
So far, they're saying it's a general bill for any pandemic, and not necessarily for the H1N1 bill. Just happens to be coinciding with all this flu biz, methinks...And it's very draconian. I encourage more of us to call to express our concerns.
Posted by Robin123 (Member # 9197) on :
This bill is in committee now, and I think this is pretty serious.
Discussion? Calls? I called the governor's office.
Posted by Truthfinder (Member # 8512) on :
So far, no governmental authority is attempting to make vaccination mandatory for the general population in the USA. I agree with Bob - a law is needed to prevent forced vaccination anywhere. And governments should get out of the medical business. Consumers need simple protections from greed and excesses in the marketplace, but instead, our representatives are `sleeping with the enemy'! Some serious campaign finance reform is in order here. Our reps can't serve two masters.
To me, this is one of the worst provisions of the bill:
*** to require in-state health care providers to assist in the performance of vaccination, treatment, examination, or testing of any individual as a condition of licensure, authorization, or the ability to continue to function as a health care provider in the commonwealth;***
SOME of the other provisions MAY have merit. Try to imagine this in the context of an outbreak of Ebola or The Plague or Anthrax or Smallpox - not the current H1N1 flu. It would be important to keep infected individuals from fleeing an area and spreading a truly deadly disease. There are always going to be individuals who panic and have no thought for the welfare of anyone else but themselves. How should those people be handled? I don't know. It's a very difficult question.
Robin, I stopped reading or responding to anything coming from HealthFreedomUSA after they issued a couple of major alerts that turned out to be `false alarms' and over-reactions on their part. It made a lot of concerned citizens look like complete fools when they complained about issues that weren't a threat to health freedom. It became difficult to sort through and decide what had merit. Perhaps they mean well, but I wouldn't use HealthFreedomUSA as a sole source for important information. There are better information sources out there but unfortunately, I lost those links when my computer died a year ago.
Posted by Beautiful Disaster (Member # 21882) on :
I kind of understand it, what if it was a true pandemic and the people that refuse to stay inside as much as possible, would be spreading whatever disease it was and giving it to my little child.
I don't want him catching anything because of other people "cowboying it up", doing what they want, and not being safe when they know they are carrying a deadly disease.
I didn't read all of it, so if I missed something I'm sorry. But in general, from what I understand, if something is spreading rampantly and people are dying, why not force them to stay inside or quarantine them so my son doesn't lose his life or my son lose his mom's life? It just depends on what it is, how bad it is, and if it is really necessary.
I talked to a lady that worked for the school district in our county and she said they are told to not say a word to people about all of the cases of swine flu at school. She said "You would be shocked" but they don't want to cause mass hysteria. But now her little boy has it she thinks (she was carrying him in the pharmacy, buying a thermometer - and had no one to watch him while she went out), she is going to whistle blow on the school system for making it seem like it's just a few isolated cases, because she says it is definitely not just a few isolated cases. She said her next trip was the ER. I freaked out because he was coughing and I was standing right behind him. I washed my whole family's hands like crazy, that's the only thing I could do. Ugh. Scary.
Posted by Robin123 (Member # 9197) on :
Hi - I'm concerned that the gov't could do whatever it wants with the flu vaccine - like they are going to be requiring mandatory injections for anyone in the military, etc.
These vaccines contain some pretty nasty adjuvants, to say nothing of whatever flu strains they're injecting into folks.
So what is happening with this bill? Is anyone in MA working on it? Where is it in committee? Who are the committee members? Is anyone contacting them to tell them how you feel about this bill mandating practically martial law for the state? I don't hear any noise...hello, out there...
Posted by Truthfinder (Member # 8512) on :
I've found a couple of places people can go to find out how to legally avoid vaccinations. Even the military has legal exemptions and waivers regarding vaccines.
For a state-by-state breakdown of how to use vaccination exemptions, go to this `Exemption Forms and Information' page (last modified in February of 2009): www.vaclib.org/exemption.htm
Here's the creepy part: From what I've read, now that the so-called swine flu pandemic has been classified as a Level 6 Pandemic by the WHO, because of the international treaties that we (the USA) has signed, this allows international law to override the United States Constitution, to justify American martial law and detention for those who refuse the vaccine. This applies to all 'participating' countries, not just the U.S.
I have not had time to track this down to verify it, but I think it may be true. And if true, this means that our leaders signed away our national sovereignty by executing those treaties, and they have no right or authority to do that! (And I think this is why CODEX is considered such a threat to us - because of these international `treaties'.)
That's tyranny, folks, pure and simple.
All liberty-loving Americans should shudder at the WHO directives which state: ``During a pandemic, it may be necessary to overrule existing legislation or (individual) human rights.
[ 09-16-2009, 11:20 AM: Message edited by: Truthfinder ]
Posted by Cold Feet (Member # 9882) on :
I talked to my local gov representative who is said to support most of the bill, but will not vote for it due to some "over reach." It will be reviewed any day now, and the results can be tracked here:
[ 09-16-2009, 12:23 PM: Message edited by: Cold Feet ]
Posted by Bheiser (Member # 21333) on :
they are trying to declare marshall law without declaring it.
Posted by Truthfinder (Member # 8512) on :
I wonder how many other states have something similar in place already, and we just don't know about it.
Posted by Robin123 (Member # 9197) on :
Up.
I think we should be calling the MA governor's office. And where else?
Posted by lakes592 (Member # 18905) on :
Ridiculous what is it going to be like leprosy. Are they going to have H1N1 camps. I wonder if this mess started near plumb Island also...
Posted by Robin123 (Member # 9197) on :
Lakes - I think this one was started by vaccine companies - they're going to make a lot of money off of this -
I think we should call the White House too. This is not what we want for our country.
Coldfeet, a couple state senators stated, after they had signed this draconian bill, that they were now sorry they signed it.
As far as I'm concerned, you all should be getting the list of the names of the house reps in the committee now reviewing the bill and start contacting them. This is serious biz.
Posted by Cold Feet (Member # 9882) on :
Quick update -- but the bill is still in the house:
Love our country, fear our government! Ahhh! good grief!
Posted by D Bergy (Member # 9984) on :
If this passes there, it will be quickly adopted by other states.
Residents need to angrily contact their representatives and shut this down. Do not be afraid of letting them know you will do whatever it takes to get them out of office if this passes.
This is about all that politicians respond to anymore.
Dan
Posted by emla999/Lyme (Member # 12606) on :
This is horrible!!! What a loss of freedom!!
And on top of that a new study has just indicated that a common vaccine additive is associated with cognitive decline, motor neuron disease and autism.
And infertility, and lots of sickness. Without any legal recourse.
I called the governor's office. Let's make calls. I listed MA governor office numbers above, about halfway down here.
But also, what are Massachusettsians (? - I could get away with an ending like that in CA, but there?) doing?! I read that the MA ACLU is working on this. As far as I'm concerned, everyone needs to be speaking up.
Posted by D Bergy (Member # 9984) on :
This is likely not true, but I am placing it here in hopes it can be debunked or confirmed by someone here. It is possible, so I do not want to ignore it either.
It is a report of Navy ships breaking out in H1N1 after vaccination. Does anyone here have knowledge of this alleged event first hand from family members?
As I said, it probably is not true, so do not take it too seriously unless more evidence comes to light.
A story was put out about flu quarantine on the Boxer naval ship and it turned out to be a hoax. So probably the other stories are too. The url for the Boxer story...
No 60-day at-sea shipwide quarantine; the ship pulled into Pearl Harbor July 09 with 69/3000 sick with H1N1 and they recovered.
The captain and master chief petty officer did not die, as reported.
"In fact, the allegedly dead captain took part in a bike race/rally in San Diego. Looked very healthy for a dead man."
[ 09-29-2009, 07:33 AM: Message edited by: Robin123 ]
Posted by D Bergy (Member # 9984) on :
Thank you for the information.
I wish the Massachusetts pandemic bill was a hoax also.
Dan
Posted by Cold Feet (Member # 9882) on :
Quick update from the Wall Street Journal below. Does the reporter know something that we don't? I hope the bill hasn't passed yet!
Public Faces Long Wait to Get New Flu Vaccine
``...Some states are relaxing the rules or considering such a move to accommodate potentially huge demand. Massachusetts expanded the authority of pharmacists, paramedics, dentists and third- and fourth-year medical students to administer seasonal and H1N1 shots to all those who want them...''
I'll keep you posted...
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
This is a harbinger of what is to come when the government messes around with our health.
Posted by 22dreams (Member # 17846) on :
I wish the government had spent some funds on our health rather than, say, on wars -- lyme research is so very long past due, it's obscene and a disgrace.
Posted by Truthfinder (Member # 8512) on :
No kidding, Lymetoo.
Too bad some of that 'stimulus package' wasn't dedicated to routing out the REAL causes of high healthcare costs (like corruption, price gouging, etc.).
Posted by Truthfinder (Member # 8512) on :
Apparently, a lawsuit will be filed today in D.C. to halt the distribution of the swine flu vaccine in America. The lawsuit charges that the FDA violated the law by approving the vaccine. The lawsuit will allege that the `vaccine + adjuvant combination' has never been safety tested or approved.
There may be something to this. I remember reading awhile back that the adjuvant was LEFT OUT in some of the initial trials on real people. I don't know what happened after that. So, we'll see what happens.
Quick update on the bill: it looks like the house version has more consensus and it is likely to become law.
I posted the link to the house version earlier in this topic; I found it difficult to actually read what changes were made and what the future bill will look like.
I'll post more if I get more information. But I am not happy with this news at all. Quite disgusted actually.
Posted by Cold Feet (Member # 9882) on :
Another update from a flu-centric discussion board on this bill (lots of info & links):
I tried to find ANY posts on this site that would help me confirm the number of deaths in Mass. due to vaccinations, but ironically, I could find no such links on this site or others.
I am only curious as I heard on the TV news that there were 12 deaths attributed to the vaccination; I just want to confirm what I heard. Getting trustworthy information on this topic is impossible.
BTW: It appears FluTrackers requires you to send an email before they let you register.
Posted by Truthfinder (Member # 8512) on :
Cold Feet, over on the `WV/forced vaccination' thread, I asked to see the specific language in the Mass. bill that allows ``state authorities (or various delegated medical personnel) to enter the homes of citizens and vaccinate people without their consent.'' You replied:
quote:Trace...from the 1st version, excerpted (actual) language from the bill:
* to require the owner or occupier of premises to permit entry into and investigation of the premises;
* to procure, take immediate possession from any source, store, or distribute any anti-toxins, serums, vaccines, immunizing agents, antibiotics, and other pharmaceutical agents or medical supplies located within the commonwealth as may be necessary to respond to the emergency;
* to require in-state health care providers to assist in the performance of vaccination, treatment, examination, or testing of any individual as a condition of licensure, authorization, or the ability to continue to function as a health care provider in the commonwealth;
* to waive the commonwealth's licensing requirements for health care professionals with a valid license from another state in the United States or whose professional training would otherwise qualify them for an appropriate professional license in the commonwealth;
Okay, in the second paragraph, it says the state has authority to confiscate and distribute all medical supplies and medications from any source - including vaccines - and `distribute' them as may be necessary. Is that where you believe the right to forced vaccination is implied?
I don't see it. There's nothing there indicating that citizens must submit to any inoculation or medical treatment. Just that medical supplies can be taken from one place and used in another.
The first paragraph gives the state the right to come into your home or business and `investigate', but that's all it says.
The language is awfully unclear if the legislature intended for mandatory vaccination. But then, that's what legislatures are good at. In this case, I suspect it would end up in the courts if the law were ever put to the test.
Posted by Cold Feet (Member # 9882) on :
Tracy, good points. I think it's pretty clear, but you're right, there are parts that could be interpreted subjectively, which is not good for a long list of reasons.
However, back to your point: can someone refuse to be vaccinated? The "old" version of the bill allows this, with a caveat...a free ride to your local TB center:
"...An individual who is unable or unwilling to submit to vaccination or treatment shall not be required to submit to such procedures but may be isolated or quarantined pursuant to section 96 of chapter 111 if his or her refusal poses a serious danger to public health or results in uncertainty whether he or she has been exposed to or is infected with a disease or condition that poses a serious danger to public health, as determined by the commissioner, or a local public health authority operating within its jurisdiction..."
I hope all of this legal stuff is purely precautionary, but I don't see why so many resources are behind it!
Months ago, I read the whole bill. When one read the bill in its entirety, it takes on another "feel" that is more powerful than dissecting the pieces. See:
Uh, thanks - I'll pass on reading the whole bill. I've got my head buried in Vagus Nerve function text this morning.....
Again, though - this passage is unclear. There's nothing that says you will be `taken' somewhere for quarantine or isolation - it could easily be that you are forced to stay in your home. However, who knows what `section 96 of chapter 111'' says, and that statute appears to govern over THIS passage.
When it comes to ambiguous bills like this, I think we should bring back public flogging, reserved specifically for legislators and lawmakers. Posted by grandmother (Member # 19908) on :
We voted these politicians in...
Problem is, when it comes to this kind of stuff, both parties are the same.
![[rant]](graemlins/rant.gif)
![[Mad]](mad.gif)
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In this case, I suspect it would end up in the courts if the law were ever put to the test.