Say No to SAPHE 2.0
UPDATE FOR MONDAY 7/24/24 LET’S KEEP THOSE PHONES RINGING + SIGN THE PETITION (MA only, 1 time only)
This is it folks. The next few days are key. This is our last chance to stop the SAPHE 2.0 bill from being added to the Final Economic Development bill and passed into law. We are hearing it can go either way.
As we know the Senate recently passed Amendment #34, adding the entire 10-page SAPHE 2.0 bill to the Economic Development bill. The New bill number for the economic development bill is S2869. Lines 3362-3521 (page 155-162)
The House did NOT add the same language to their version of the economic development bill. In order for the economic development bill to pass, both versions must be exactly the same.
Monday July 22nd at 1:30 is the beginning of conference committee of 6 members will need to decide what stays and what goes until both bills match to letter. Members are: Jerald Parisella, David Muradian Jr., Aaron Michlewitz, Peter Durant, Michael Rodrigues and Barry Finegold.
The hearings (negotiations) on the Economic Development bill will likely go on until the very final days of the session. It must be voted on by July 31st. Our hope is that the SAPHE 2.0 language will NOT be included the final bill.
Everyone’s job now is to convince these 8 people that this is a really bad idea! They have families too that will also be affected. They were all mandated to get the shot if they wanted to go into State House. They all lived through what you did during COVID. They too will have to live with the laws they are passing.
END GOAL: We want them to strike Public Health SAPHE 2.0 Language – Lines 3362-3521 (page 155-162) from the Economic Development Bill S2869 so it is not included in the final version.
THE NEXT 24 HOURS ARE CRUCIAL!!!
1) Starting Immediately we need keyboard warriors sharing info on all social media platform. (see social media pages)
2) Health Rights MA will have boots on the ground at the state house Monday.
3) While we are there we need the phones to be ringing off the hook with opposition calls. This means you! Please set a reminder now to call tomorrow before you go about your day.
TAKE ACTION NOW! CALL these 7 offices.
Tell them YOU OPPOSE ADDING A SAPHE 2.0, A TEN PAGE COMPLEX PUBLIC HEALTH POLICY BILL INTO AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BILL.
They need to know we see what they are doing! Ask them to record your opposition to adding SAPHE 2.0 Public Health Policy language into an Economic Development Bill.
Jerald Parisella Jerald.Parisella@mahouse.gov (617) 722-2370
David Muradian David.Muradian@mahouse.gov (617) 722-2240
Aaron Michlewitz Aaron.M.Michlewitz@mahouse.gov (617) 722-2990
Michael Rodrigues Michael.Rodrigues@masenate.gov (617) 722-1114
Barry Finegold Barry.Finegold@masenate.gov (617) 722-1612
Senate President, Karen Spilka, Karen.Spilka@masenate.gov 617-722-1500 (this office staff is notorious for being unfriendly, please call anyway, keep your cool, remain polite but firm. Ask them to record your opposition. That is their job. They work for us!)
Speaker of the House, Ronald Mariano, Ronald.Mariano@mahouse.gov 617-722-2500
BONUS CALL! Peter Durant is also on the committee please call and THANK HIM for standing against SAPHE 2.0. (617) 722-1540
Update 7/14/2024
Last Thursday the Senate passed Amendment #34, adding the entire 10-page SAPHE 2.0 bill to the Economic Development bill.
The House did not add the same language to their version of the economic development bill. In order for the economic development bill to pass, both versions must be exactly the same.
Next, it will go to a conference committee of 6 members. They will hash out what stays and what goes. There will be 3 members from the Senate, one will be in the minority party. There will be 3 from the House, one will be in the minority party. Conference committee members will be announced early next week, chosen by the Senate and House leadership. The hearing will happen quickly. Probably next week as well.
Everyone’s job now is to convince those 6 people, and their own legislators, that this is a really bad idea! They have families too that will also be affected. They were all mandated to get the shot if they wanted to go into state house. If they are up for re-election and running opposed, please ask their opponent what their position is on giving more power & capabilities to public health agencies at this moment in time. Or what they think of using federal grant money with strings attached to compel Massachusetts cities and towns to comply with national public health standards. (think CDC, HHS etc)
This week Health Freedom Radio will do a deep dive into the SAPHE 2.0 bill to educate people about this very dangerous bill that will affect the lives of all of the people of Massachusetts, by law!
What is it? What does it do? What is the funding behind it? How could it effect our lives in real world scenarios? Why it is so essential that we ALL do everything in our power to stop it?
It’s very hard to explain such a large public health agenda in just a few minutes, making it difficult for people to confidently speak in opposition to it. Please plan to tune in to Health Freedom Radio this week, Tuesday at 9:00 am and learn all about the SAPHE 2.0 bill and what you can do to help stop it while there is still time! Tune in at WCRNradio.com.
Update 7/11/2024
We are incredibly disappointed to report the Senate passed Amendment #34 adding the entire SAPHE 2.0 bill to the Economic Development bill. Next it will go to conference committee. We will keep you all posted if we think anything else can be done to stop it.
Thank you to everyone that called and emailed. The monied interested behind this bill were enormous.
The vote was 35 to 4. Senator Durant spoke valiantly in opposition. No votes where Senators Durant, O’Connor, Tarr and Fattman.
Update 7/9/2024
We have just been informed that Amendment #34 has been submitted by Senator Comerford to include SAPHE 2.0 in the Economic Development bill. We must ensure that does not happen!!! Those that support this bill will be calling their Senators and asking them to co-sponsor the amendment. WE MUST CALL & EMAIL OUR OPPOSITION NOW! The other side is asking everyone to call AND email their Senators and we MUST DO THE SAME BUT IN GREATER NUMBERS AND WITH MORE HEART! They will be debating these amendments Thursday, July 11th so time of the essence!
Please take these 2 important actions before Thursday!
- Send an email to your Senator. While it is always better to write your own email if you can’t do that click the red button and send our prewritten letter. We highly recommend you personalize the first sentence and change the subject line. If they all look the same they tend to ignore them!
- Pick up the phone and call your Senator! Do not skip this! Do not think everyone else will do it! Find your legislators here.
Suggested Alternative Subject lines:
- Oppose Saphe, Oppose #34
- Oppose Economic Bill Amendment #34
- Say NO to National Public Health Standards. Oppose Amendment #34
- Oppose Amendment #34, SAPHE violates separation of powers
- Oppose Amendment #34 Dangerously Broad Language
CALL SCRIPT:
I’m sure we can improve public health services without disempowering our local boards. This bill will compel local boards to comply with national standards if they wish to receive federal funding! In addition, the language in the bill is dangerously broad!
Optional: Share your story about what happened to you and your family when nonsensical public health countermeasures were implemented.
That’s it! If you want to learn more about the bill see below. This entire page is dedicated to opposition of this bill.
Attorney Peter Vickery: In 5 Minutes, Why you should OPPOSE SAPHE 2.0
Attorney Peter Vickery explains clearly in less than 5 minutes why bill H4101/S1334 known as SAPHE 2.0 should NOT pass into law.
Attorney Peter Vickery, Legislative analysis for opposition of SAPHE 2.0
8 minute educational video, to accompany Peter’s letter to legislators explaining why legislators should OPPOSE SAPHE 2.0.
HHS Secretary Xavier Beccera illustrates how federal grant funding is being used to violate our rights and freedoms
California Representative Kevin Kiley questions Xavier Beccera Head of HHS. (1 min)
IMPORTANT ACTION: Click the green button to download a copy-and-paste template with instructions to send to your legislators and asking them for a response.
H.4101/S1334 aka SAPHE 2.0 is Public Health Bill Before the Massachusetts Legislature. SAPHE 2.0 has DANGEROUSLY BROAD language and uses financial coercion to gain compliance with national standards.
This bill has serious potential adverse effects for the public. Referred to as the “Statewide Accelerated Public Health for Every Community Act (SAPHE 2.0 pronounced Safe),” the current bill aims to reshape public health infrastructure at great personal and financial cost to MA citizens.
- Disempowers local boards of health to manage their own local situations, compelling them to comply with national standards (whatever they may be) if they wish to receive federal funds to improve public health services.
- It violates the separation of powers by granting to another body the power to make law. This bill would unconstitutionally delegate the lawmaking power to a private corporation.
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Establishing “a minimum set of public health services, including, but not limited to, public health programs and foundational capabilities” is more than merely implementing policy; rather, it is the making of policy.
- It has dangerously broad language that authorizes unelected officials, namely the Commissioners of Public Health and of Environmental Protection, to organize “public health responses” on the basis of an “outbreak of disease” or a “health care situation important public health.” These vague, ill-defined terms grant dangerously broad powers that would affect every MA resident to two unelected government officials, without legislative oversight.
- Allows for increased surveillance and tracking of individuals, eroding medical/personal privacy.
It is now known that many COVID pandemic mandates and restrictions—despite bold promises of benefit to the public made at the time—ultimately proved ill-advised and harmful to individuals and the community. Lost jobs, bankrupted businesses, physical injury, psychological distress, isolation of dying family members, neglect of routine health maintenance care, and delays in children’s development are among the harmful effects. Caution, discernment, and localized responses are needed going forward, not increased powers for unelected officials to enact widescale mandates that bypass individual and community decision-making.
More Actions to OPPOSE SAPHE 2.0
1. Please sign and send this letter to the editor of your local paper
2. Call or email your local BOH. Attend the meetings. Ask questions about the Public Health Excellence funds and any contracts signed. Most towns have already agreed to take the funding. A few have not. This information should be available under FOIA. Are they aware of the strings attached to accepting these funds? There will be CONTROL over their decision-making. Is it possible to opt-out?
3. Time to make some calls! Call these 4 elected officials and tell them you oppose the SAPHE (pronounced SAFE) 2.0 as written. Ask them to take a closer look at the language and send the bill back to for redrafting. We have provided sample call scripts below.
Are we going sit back and quietly let the legislature grant even more powers to unelected “public health” officials that will affect the lives of all Massachusetts residents? Do we want Massachusetts to be forced to comply with National Standards in order to get federal dollars (our own taxpayer dollars) to improve public health? Why all the strings attached?
It’s really easy! Read over the talking points at the top of the page to get an idea of what is wrong with the bill. Think about everything we’ve lived through the past 3 years and pick up the phone. Remain calm and politely voice your concerns. This week’s targets:
- Karen Spilka – Senate President (617) 722-1500 https://malegislature.gov/Legislators/Profile/KES0
- Ronald Mariano – Speaker Of House (617) 722-2500 https://malegislature.gov/Legislators/Profile/R_M1
- Michael J. Rodrigues – Senate Chair on the Ways and Means Committee (617) 722- 1114 https://malegislature.gov/Legislators/Profile/MJR0
- Representative Aaron Michlewitz – House Chair on the Ways and Means Committee (617) 722-2990 https://malegislature.gov/Legislators/Profile/JJL2
- If someone answers it will most likely be a staff person, go ahead and speak to them.
- If you get a voice mail leave a message letting them know you oppose the SAPHE 2.0 bill as written and preferably ask for a call back.
Sample Call Script 1:
Hello,
My name is XYZ, I’m from XYZ Massachusetts. I have reviewed the SAPHE 2.0 bill (S1334/H4101) and I have serious concerns. This bill uses federal tax dollars (our own money!) to force Massachusetts to comply with National Standards (think CDC, FDA) when it comes to public health. Are you aware of this bill?
It puts too much power in the hands of a few unelected public health officials. It is taking power away from the legislature and the local boards of health to make decisions. The bill states “in the event of an outbreak of a disease or health care situation important to the public health, as determined by the commissioner or the commissioner of the department of environmental protection affecting more than 2 boards of health, the department may coordinate the affected boards of health, assemble and share data on affected residents and organize the public health response within and across the affected communities.” (lines 130-134)
This language is extremely broad – anything could be considered “important to the public health” and there are no checks, balances, time limits or restrictions on these powers to organize the “public health response.” This response could be anything! Lockdowns, school and business closures, mask or vaccine mandates, etc. And “outbreak of a disease” Any disease? No limitations?
Please take a closer looks at these bills. I’m sure we can improve public health services without violating the constitutional rights and freedoms of the people of Massachusetts.
I will be calling my own legislators as well but as the (fill in position) I wanted to share my position with your office too since you will be making decisions that will affect the lives everyone in Massachusetts, including me and my family.
Sample Call Script 2:
Hello,
My name is XYZ, and I’m from XYZ Massachusetts. I am calling to let you know that I oppose the SAPHE 2.0 bill (S1334/H4101), which is deceptively described as “An Act relative to accelerating improvements to the local and regional public health system to address disparities in the delivery of public health services.” Basically, this bill, if enacted, will disempower local community health boards by shifting decision-making authority to regional health boards, and it ultimately gives power to two unelected officials—the commissioners of public health and environmental protection—to determine the “public health response” “in the event of an outbreak of a disease or health care situation important to the public health.”
If you take a close look at this bill, you will see that its broad language is highly problematic. Any “outbreak of a disease,” no matter how limited or mild, could be considered “important to the public health,” and the “public health response” could be anything—draconian lockdowns, school and business closures, mask or vaccine mandates, etc. As has become increasingly apparent, many of the centralized Covid measures and mandates during the last few years not only did not work as intended, but ended up causing extensive physical, psychological, economic and societal harm—including bankrupted businesses, lost jobs, lost education, serious side effects such as strokes and heart attacks from the Covid vaccines, increased substance abuse and suicides, supply chain interruptions, and increased deaths from a variety of causes due to disruptions in regular medical services. One of the most important lessons we learned from the Covid pandemic is that it is dangerous to centralize power when it comes to public health matters—especially by granting unlimited emergency powers to politicians and unelected officials. Instead, we need to ensure local autonomy to address local circumstances.
I will be calling my own legislators as well, but I wanted to first share my views on this bill with your office, since in your capacity of XYZ, you’ll being making a decision that will affect the lives everyone in Massachusetts.
Sample Call Script 3 SHORT – just get your opposition on the record!:
Hello,
My name is XYZ, I’m from XYZ Massachusetts. I have reviewed the SAPHE 2.0 bill (S1334/H4101) and I have serious concerns about the language in this bill.
Please take a closer looks at these bills. I’m sure we can improve public health services without violating the constitutional rights and freedoms of all the people of Massachusetts.
I will be calling my own legislators as well but as the (fill in position) I wanted to share my position with your office too since you will be making decisions that will affect the lives everyone in Massachusetts.