WA Rep. Rob Chase urges YES!! on HB1442 regarding the state’s response to COVID-19

PRESS RELEASE

HB 1442 is a complete revision of the current pandemic preparedness law and addresses many of the concerns regarding the state’s response to COVID-19.

Epidemic & Pandemic Preparedness Bill has been filed by Representative Rob Chase–HB 1442:

Protects businesses and premises owners by declaring that a duty to protect the public from airborne viruses does not exist in current law and such a duty would be so burdensome so as to make operating them impossible. It declares any orders from the Executive office or public health agencies do not create any new legal duties for purposes of tort liability.

Requires state level determination of the definitions of epidemic, pandemic, and the qualifications for recording deaths as due to the outbreak illness.

Requires any test used to determine a “case” meets minimal accuracy standards.

Requires the Secretary of Health to submit plans to other government agencies for the preparation of impact statements on the economy and society, and then to meet with those agencies to deliberate on outlined Balancing Test questions and to mutually decide on a course of action.

Requires inclusion of state medical and naturopathic physicians in preparation and implementing of responses.

Eliminates mass vaccination campaigns as a requirement to an epidemic and pandemic response.

Requires notification of rights to due process for any quarantine or restrictive measures that limit freedoms.

Declares that any public health measure by the state that infringes on the Washington state Constitution or the United States Constitution may not be enforced.

READ THE BILL HERE:  HB 1442

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