Thread by @ChrisDunkerLJS

The line of testifiers for Sen. Ben Hansen’s bill (LB643) that would allow people to opt out of mandatory vaccine directives. Just about everyone indicated they wanted to speak. Testimony will be limited to 3 min.

First time we've seen a crowd like this in the Capitol this session. Masks aren't required in the building, but there are signs recommended social distancing be observed, which obviously isn't happening here.

Sen. B. Hansen says he'll forgo most of his opening statements to clear some time for testifiers. He

"This legislation is in no way against vaccines or the COVID-19 vaccines...This is more saying the state doesn't have a right to inject anything into our bodies mandatorily."

He says the bill is an attempt to protect Nebraskans' rights. He says he never imagined what the pandemic would do last year, and says the bill is proactive against any mandated vaccine in the future.

Proponents up:

Allie French says being against vaccines is not a conspiracy theory; she says they are a failed science experiment dating back to the 18th century. Diseases have been defeated by improvements in sanitation and diet, she says.

Ben Tapper, a chiropractor from Omaha, says "vaccine injury is real." He says vaccines might contain substances that violate a person's religious beliefs, i.e. aborted fetal cells.

He says the body is better at defeating diseases than any vaccine.

Robert Borer, a retired firefighter from LNK, says compulsory vaccination violates American's constitutional rights.

"Consent is the antithesis of compulsion." He says vaccines are "a one-size fits all practice...presented as a single cure-all," advocates for healthier lifestyle

No questions from committee members so far. They are moving testifiers through conveyor belt style.

Brandy Whitmore, an RN from Lincoln, says she's witnessed "vaccine injury...over and over."

"The problems with vaccinations is we cannot determine what the risks are" because the state doesn't require reporting on effects.

Whitmore says she had an autoimmune response to a vaccine in 2017. She tested for rheumatoid arthritis, but says her doctor won't acknowledge that a vaccine caused it.

Testifier who hasn't given his name yet says he studies medicine as "an avocation."

He asks the committee if they know the signs of a stroke. Sen. John Arch, HHS cmte chair, tells him they are the ones who ask the questions.

"You guys know Bill Gates? His grandfather, Frederick Gates, started the process of shutting down medical schools..."

"I've been extremely censored on Facebook..."

Adam Fogarty says government should "protect and defend the citizens," but he believes govt is more interested in protecting corporate profits.

"We need you to stand in our corner, not only to protect and defend future mandates, but also from corporations' mandating vaccines.

Fogarty closes with mention that "400,000 people who died *WITH* COVID, not *OF* COVID."

Colleen Fogarty, a retired pediatric RN, says she experienced "damaged to children which was not recognized for what it was."

"I beg you to give me my right to refuse."

Tyler Hackbart, a chiropractor, has an autoimmune disease & has never been vaccinated. He asks the committee to "use the best evidence you have and then make a faith decision." Tells senators they have all the information, now they need "the courage to do the right thing."

"I'm for the freedom to choose for myself and my family, and I hope you guys are, too," Hackbart closes.

Dana Seevers, a mother of 5 from Seward, says she's a "previous vaxxer." After one of her children had some side effects after 18 mo shots, she said she looked into it.

"Based on my research, we chose not to vaccinate the next 4 children we had."

"The science around vaccines is not settled," Seevers says. Adds the state should "leave room for individual freedoms and trust Nebraskans to make their own decisions."

Mentions Big Pharma controls politicians as her time expires.

Seems to be some confusion among some testifiers that the Legislature is actively trying to mandate some new vaccination, which is not the case.

Bonnie Meckel, an RN for nearly 10 years, says she has a lot of patients ask "do I have to?" If the state mandates a vaccine, what will they mandate next, she asks.

"There's a COVID vaccine -- to each their own on that -- I've treated COVID, I've had COVID," Meckel says.

She again says mandating vaccines would lead to a slippery slope of more mandates.

Dan Scheierman, an RN, says his son had a bad reaction to the TDAP vaccine. "The answers weren't there. It took weeks to get everything better. I'm thankful he healed from that."

He says he lets his patients make an informed choice of whether they want a vaccine or not.

Bethany Cannon, a health care provider from Omaha, says she researches "almost to the point of obsession," and has attended conferences and spoken with pediatricians, which led her to not vaccinate her children. She says they are the healthiest kids she knows.

"I'm not here to change anybody's mind on vaccinations," Cannon says. She believes the decision should be the of the individual/family/guardian and not the government.

Tom Seiler calls COVID a "chemical weapon."

"We the people see a danger and we're coming to you, the first line of defense, to help us against that danger," he says to the committee.

Seiler adds there is no recourse against vaccine companies if someone has a bad reaction.

"I'd rather spill my blood in another way to protect my family," Seiler says.

Dr. Daryl Hackbart says vaccine injuries are underreported because doctors are trained to do so (?). "There is injuries and accidents that happen with some of these procedures."

Catie Miller, a nurse, says informed consent is being taken away from people across the country, and she doesn't want that to happen in NE. She says there are risks to taking vaccines, just like there are with things like ibuprofen or acetaminophen.

Miller adds there is no data showing how the COVID vaccine affects pregnant/nursing women.

"As a nurse, I believe in the right of my patients to informed consent," and asks the committee to protect patients' rights by not forcing a vaccine on them.

Crystal Patzel, who introduces herself as a Christian and an American, says "I'm by no means a professional, but I've done my research."

"It's not up to the government to decide what we do or not do with our bodies."

"I think a lot of government officials have forgotten they work for us and they should listen to us," Patzel says.

Sens. Arch, Walz, Murman and Williams are still present.

Connie Reinke says "the things that are going on in relation to COVID are just outrageous. These things have to be stopped. I ask for your help to stop this. To force people to mandate vaccines, nobody wants to get COVID, but forcing it just feels very dangerous to me."

Reinke says she researched online to find out if the COVID vaccines have a microchip. She didn't find anything, but said Pfizer and Novax were celebrating because the COVID vaccine uses nanotechnology. "That is the thing we would be putting in our bodies."

"I urge you to be on alert to protect us to keep us safe in Nebraska," Reinke concludes.

Gotta take a break after that one.

Gretchen Hess, a LNK business owner, says she was paralyzed for 10 days after getting her kindergarten booster shots. She said she recovered, but has had severe allergic reactions to any medications for the rest of her life.

"Just like you do research when you go buy a vehicle, let other people do their research and have that choice," Hess says.

Heidi Barry-Rettele says her grandfather was a respected scientist who warned her about future scientific tyranny.

Then she says: "Bill Gates is definitely in that position, he's buying up land. He knows money and he's going after every angle he can to be in control of us."

Kristin Hanquist says she was having trouble getting pregnant until she changed her diet. Then she quit her job as a corporate accountant and now she works to educate people about the power of healthy eating and what she says is the danger of vaccines.

Talli Kratochvil says Jesus violated govt mandates to fight for the people and not a political agenda.

"The government has no right to inject itself into our health care," she says.

She also tried to connect cancel culture and concentration camps, but I couldn't hear clearly.

Didn't catch this woman's name, but she said she "doesn't want to inject anti-bacterial, anti-fungal monkey kidney cells, aborted fetus cells" into her body. "That is my choice and it should always remain my choice."

Jana Volzke talks about CRISPR (?) "forever altering" the DNA God gave us.

And then...

"Bill Gates bought into the vaccine industry because the return on investment is astronomical. It's about money, it's not about health."

We're getting down to the end of proponents.

Katherine Doll said when her son was born in 2001, "we didn't have the internet that we do today." He was later diagnosed with autism, and she now reads "lots and lots of medical journals."

Doll says vaccines are the "No. 1 cause" autism, allergies, autoimmune diseases, etc.

"I encourage you all to go and read some medical journals."

Scott Stangl says the Legislature should pass LB643 to have a law on the books that says the government can't mandate a vaccine, which was the argument Sen. Hansen made at the open.

Now onto opponents:

Dr. Michelle Walsh, a pediatrician and president of Nebraska Med Association, says the group has "serious concerns" about how the bill would impact existing vaccination rules for schools/child care centers.

Walsh says LB643 would contradict existing policies and allow parents to opt their children out of immunizations required for schools, leading to a spread of preventable diseases.

Vaccines are not 100% effective, she says, but herd immunity works and protects communities.

Walsh talks about a family friend who died of polio at age 41.

No other opponents, no neutral testifiers.

There were 33 letters in support, plus 2 submitted this morning. 3 letters submitted in opposition.

Hansen closing.

Helluva way to spend a birthday. Stiff drink tonight.