Illinois Vaccine Awareness Coalition

SB 1304 removes financial conflicts of interest for Immunization Advisory Committee members that could influence their mandatory vaccination decisions. SB 1304 prohibits members' conflicts of interest with the vaccine industry, including speaking engagements, stocks and other economic benefits.

SB 1304 passed both Illinois Senate and House without opposition. On August 15, Gov. Ryan explained his veto in a letter to the Illinois Senate and the 92nd General Assembly. Gov. Ryan stated: "Many physicians with expertise in the field of immunizations and infectious disease have contractual relationships with pharmaceutical companies with regards to speaking engagements. Also, many medical schools and academic centers employ infectious disease specialists that perform research funded by the pharmaceutical industry."

According to Barbara Alexander Mullarkey, IVAC spokeswoman, "Gov. Ryan's veto of SB 1304 continues the conflict of interest between the vaccine industry and the Immunization Advisory Committee and verifies the severity of the problem. Is it any wonder that parents lack confidence in the Advisory Committee's vaccination investigations and votes? It's a sad state of affairs if Governor Ryan is unable to find Illinois doctors with vaccination expertise without vaccine industry financial links."

IVAC appreciates our representatives who guided SB 1304 through the legislature without opposition:
SB 1304 Senate sponsor: Sen. Patrick O'Malley -R- Palos Park
SB 1304 House co-sponsors: Rep. Rosemary Mulligan-R- Des Plaines

Rep. Elizabeth Coulson-R- Glenview

History of SB1304:

Feb. 22: Sen. O'Malley introduces bill; Senate Rules Committee
Feb. 28: Assigned to Senate Public Health Committee
March 27: Passes 10-0 in Senate Public Health Committee
April 3: Amendment adopted 9-0
April 4: Passes Senate 53-0-1 present
April 4: Arrives in House
April 6: House Sponsor: Rep Mulligan, Rep. Coulson added as Joint
sponsor; Rules Committee
April 18: Assigned to Human Services Committee
May 3: Passes Human Services Committee
May 23: Passes 114-0 in House
May 23: Passes both Houses
Aug. 15: Governor Ryan vetoes bill
Nov. 13: Senate motion to override Gov. veto fails

Senate Bill 1304
Immunization Advisory Committee Conflict of Interest
Amends the Department of Public Health Act. Provides that a person is ineligible to serve on the Immunization Advisory Committee if the person or his or her spouse is an officer, employee, or agent of, or has any ownership or other financial interest in, a pharmaceutical company that manufactures or produces vaccines. Prohibits members or their spouses from soliciting or accepting anything of value or any other economic benefit from a pharmaceutical company that manufactures or produces vaccines unless it is offered and available generally to licensed physicians or to the public. Provides that the prohibitions do not apply to an officer, employee, or his or her spouse of a governments or non-profit entity that solicits vaccines for the governmental or nonprofit entity.

Senate Sponsor: Patrick O'Malley
House Sponsors: Rosemary Mulligan and Elizabeth Coulson

Tally of Senate Votes on Motion to Override
Governor's Veto of SB 1304

26 YEAS	25 NAYS		0 PRESENT
Y - Bomke (R) Y - Cronin (R) Y - Donahue (R) Y - Dudyez (R) Y - Geo-Karis (R) Y - Hawkinson (R) Y - Jones, W. (R) Y - Karpiel (R) Y - Lauzen (R) Y - Luechtefeld (R) Y - Mahar (R) Y - Maitland (R) Y - Myers (R) Y - Noland (R) Y - O'Malley (R) Y - Parker (R) Y - Peterson (R) Y - Petka (R) Y - Radogno (R) Y - Rauschenberger (R) Y - Roskam (R) Y - Sieben (R) Y - Walsh, T. (R) Y - Watson (R) Y - Weaver (R) Y - Phillips (R)	N - Clayborne (D) N - Cullerton (D) N - del Valle (D) N - DeLeo (D) N - Demuzio (D) N - Halvorson (D) N - Hendon (D) N - Jacobs (D) N - Jones, E. (D) N - Link (D) N - Madigan (D) N - Molaro (D) N - Munoz (D) N - O'Daniel (D) N - Ronen (D) N - Shaw (D) N - Silverstein (D) N - Smith (D) N - Stone (D) N - Sullivan (R) N - Trotter (D) N - Viverito (D) N - Walsh, L. (D) N - Welch (D) N - Woolard (D)