Public health officials have tied the rise in pertussis and measles to the lowering of the vaccination rate. If this trend continues, the immunity of the entire population is threatened (known as ‘herd immunity’). Dangerous communicable diseases will spread further, and will also affect people who have been vaccinated—those with weakened immune systems, the very young, the very old, and the like. This petition seeks to address falling vaccination rates by requiring all children to be vaccinated in order to attend Maryland schools unless they have a medical condition that precludes it. "The right to practice religion freely does not include liberty to expose the community or the child to communicable disease or the latter to ill health or death. Parents may be free to become martyrs themselves, but it does not follow that they are free, in identical circumstances, to make martyrs of their children." Justice Wiley B. Rutledge Prince v. Massachusetts

Medical cannabis must be separated from the debate over commercial cannabis. Medical cannabis is about providing sure medicine to the ill and the decriminalization of the patients who use it.

On Friday the 13th, the USDA approved the unnecessary, unlabeled, and poorly tested GMO apple. It was an unlucky day indeed for the apple growers, food companies, and people like us who want to protect our families from GMO foods. But it’s not all bad news. Thanks to pressure from thousands of people like you, McDonald’s and Gerber -- two of the biggest purchasers of apples -- have already confirmed that they have no plans to sell GMO apples. Their commitments will help keep this risky product off the market. Now, we need to get other fast food companies to join them. If we can get the top 10 fast food companies, including Burger King, Wendy’s, Subway and Dunkin' Donuts, to commit to not sell the GMO apple, we may be able to prevent it from ending up on our plates! Tell these fast food restaurants to say NO to GMO apples!

I started tanning at the age of 15 until they changed the law. Now all clients have to be above the age of 17, or bring a parent's signature.

The 30-Day Readmission Rule states: Patients readmitted into a hospital/ medical institution within 30 days of discharge; the discharging hospital/ medical institution will be fined in the form of a reduction in reimbursement from the State for the patient's hospitalization. We DO NOT support the policy of penalizing hospitals who care for patients with sickle cell disease and the 30 day readmission penalty imposed on sickle cell disease. People suffering from this life long disease frequently have unplanned, unpredictable and recurring needs, such as controlling severe pain episodes that can only be managed in the hospital requiring multiple hospitalizations and readmissions in a 30 day period.

The African American AIDS Response Act Fund (AAARAF), created by the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus and passed by the General Assembly in 2006, puts scarce HIV prevention dollars in communities where they are most needed. However, as a result of an administrative error made last summer, $1.5 million that was appropriated to the African American AIDS Response Act Fund (AAARAF) simply disappeared. Such a critical mistake is unacceptable and must be rectified immediately. According to the latest available information, African Americans account for more than half of new HIV cases diagnosed in Illinois each year. Additionally, a recent report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests that 33% of African Americans between the ages of 18 and 65 years old have never been tested for HIV.

The state of Michigan has taken significant steps towards affordable and accessible health care through the Affordable Care Act and the expansion of Medicaid. Unfortunately, the problem of unemployed as well as underemployed individuals being unable to receive appropriate medical services persists. Health care is a basic standard to quality of life, and should be available to everyone no matter what their background may be.

King vs. Burwell was brought by a cadre of right-leaning and libertarian critics of the law who've been methodically searching for ways to undermine it. After the Supreme Court rejected arguments that the "individual mandate" was unconstitutional, they're now arguing that subsidies to help individuals afford insurance are illegal in many states. It's frankly infuriating that we're still having this debate—and mind-boggling that it's a credible threat after so many years of MoveOn members and millions of other Americans signing petitions, making calls, standing in the snow and rain to cry out for our country to ensure that EVERYONE has access to quality, affordable care. The decision on whether to uphold Obamacare is once again back in the Supreme Court's hands. Let's do what we can—including making sure that the justices hear exactly how much Obamacare has done to help people all over the country. If you or someone you know has benefited from Obamacare, join us in standing up and protecting this legislation today!

Children under this circumstances have no choice or say and I consider this so unfair and disrespectful. I have three children and they feel extremely aggravated when they see their peers on the cars next to them breathing that air full of poison.

As someone with an incurable cancer I am grateful for my great doctors and new drugs that are working for me now. However, I know that at some point these drugs will stop working. When I feel that there is little time to live and the disease is causing substantial suffering, I'd like to have the option for a planned death, and I'd like the same option available to others. This has worked well in Oregon without significant problems.

I am 63 and tired of men trying to tell us what to do with our bodies. This is not the country that I thought I was living in. We are a joke. This is the first time I am thankful for not having children. It would be hell to have a daughter who was told (dictated too) just what she could do with her body. Being a Christian doesn't give you the right to shove your religious beliefs down another's throat and try and force them to do what you want medically. Life, Liberty and the pursuit of happiness-----women don't have that.

A People's Brief is our version of a public amicus brief - a letter showing the Supreme Court the impact of their decision and what is at stake. The U.S. Supreme Court is reviewing King v. Burwell, a case that threatens to eliminate the financial assistance for health coverage in about 36 states as part of the Affordable Care Act. If the court rules against the health care law, millions will be at risk of losing their health plans and costs would go up for all health insurance consumers. Yes, you read that right. Millions of people could lose their health coverage. Fight back by adding your name to MomsRising's message and to the “People’s Brief” to stand with the millions of Americans whose health care is in the hands of the U.S. Supreme Court Justices! ____________________________________________ Health care is a human right. That’s why I’m signing this People’s Brief to call on the opponents of the health care law to put the health of millions of Americans ahead of their selfish political attacks on the Affordable Care Act. The Affordable Care Act is working, and it’s already made a difference in millions of people’s lives. More than 10 million people have health coverage now who didn’t have it before. For example, families no longer have to choose between going bankrupt and getting treatment for a sick child and being a woman is no longer considered a pre-existing condition by health plans. If the U.S. Supreme Court guts the law through the King v. Burwell case, which begins this week, it will cause a lasting health care crisis that will have a deep impact on practically everyone in this country. Health care premiums will skyrocket between 35 to 47 percent. Between 8 to 10 million people who already stretch their dollars to make ends meet would lose their health insurance altogether. An additional 5 million children would lose insurance. The consequences will be catastrophic: nearly 10,000 additional Americans would die each year because of lost coverage.