[image: lwv msn logo.png] Forwarding the following message from Stand for Kids. The League of Women Voters of WV supports vaccinations for WV children.
*FOLKS,*
It's "VACCINE WEEK"! The 2026 session of the WV Legislature starts Wed., Jan. 14.
PLEASE CALL OR E-MAIL YOUR LEGISLATORS (2 senators, 1 delegate)...and also the following:
Senate President Randy Smith 304-357-7995 randy.smith@wvsenate.gov
Speaker Roger Hanshaw 304-340-3210 roger.hanshaw@wvhouse.gov
Chair of their respective Health & Human Resources Committee:
Sen. Laura Wakim Chapman 304-357-7918 laura.chapman@wvsenate.gov
Del. Evan Worrell 304-340-3269 evan.worrell@wvhouse.gov
1.
thank them for their service, and if they voted to preserve our school vaccine law (see attached vote record), for protecting our kids from dangerous and preventable diseases & deaths; 2.
ask them to please KEEP OUR LAW---NO EXEMPTIONS/NO EXCEPTIONS except medical; 3.
thank them for their “Jobs First” focus this session.
Other talking points (you can include some, all, or none):
1.
WV is #1 in the country in school vaccine rates 2.
43 states reported measles last year, including all 5 states that border WV—but not in WV, BECAUSE we have a strong vaccine law! 3.
Recent polls show West Virginians overwhelmingly support our school vaccine law 4.
Vaccines completely eliminated smallpox & greatly reduced other diseases 5.
When kids are in close contact for hours each day, high vaccine rates stop the spread of disease. This keeps schools & childcare centers safe 6.
Last year in Kentucky, 3 infants died of whooping cough (pertussis). Our state epidemiologist issued a health alert Nov 6: WV now has an increase in whooping cough cases not seen in 15 years! 7.
When states have religious or philosophical exemptions, 2 things happen:
-
vaccine rates go down; -
diseases go up--AND the costs to the community go UP!
Not sure who your delegate or senator is?
Use
a) WV Voter Map, or
b) ballotpedia.org/who_represents_me
Thanks, all!
Robin
Robin L. Godfrey
Chair, Stand for Kids
304-552-2567
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"Stand for Kids is a nonpartisan grassroots organization working to preserve West Virginia's medical-exemptions-only school immunization law, protecting our children and families from dangerous and preventable diseases and deaths."
