Rock Island Today

As Democratic lawmakers in Illinois consider whether to create a mandatory vaccine registry in Illinois, at least one state House Republican is speaking out against it and encouraging her constituents to do the same.

Rep. Tony McCombie (R-Savanna) took to Facebook where she shared how people could register to take part in a committee hearing to express their position on a mandatory vaccine registry.

"CALL TO ACTION! ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!!! Please contact Rep. Morgan with your thoughts on HB4244 and please file your opposition with 10,938 other Illinoisans," McCombie wrote in a Jan. 18 Facebook post. 

House Bill 4244 was introduced by Rep. Bob Morgan (D-Highwood) back in December, according to the Illinois General Assembly website.

"HB 4244 would require all doctors, pharmacies, hospitals and medical centers to register their patients' personal immunizations with a state-run database," McCombie wrote in her post. 

The vaccination data and any exemption forms would then be reported to the Department of Public Health to be entered into the registry. McCombie told those who oppose the bill to have their voices heard and file to be a witness against the legislation through the Illinois General Assembly website. 

"Currently, the state immunization registry already in place is optional," McCombie said.

As of Jan. 21, 14,780 people had filed witness slips through the General Assembly's website to speak against the proposed legislation that would require a patient's vaccine records to be entered into a database. A large number compared to the 287 who signed up to speak in favor of the mandatory vaccine registry. 

In addition to citizen reactions, the bill has also drawn both the attention and reactions of several legislators, the Madison — St. Clair Record reported.

A hearing before the House Human Services Committee on the bill was scheduled for Jan. 26 at 9 a.m.