[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."