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

"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."