The April 10 vote on the chickenpox vaccine mandate by the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules (JCAR) breaks down to 6-Yes, 2-No, 3-Absent

NO
Sen. E. Bradley Burzynski (R-Sycamore)
Sen. Doris Karpiel (R-Roselle)

YES
Rep. Tom Cross (R-Yorkville)
Rep. Steve Davis (D-East Alton)
Rep. Phil Novak (D-Kankakee)
Rep. Art Tenhouse (R-Quincy)
Sen. Lisa Madigan (D- Chicago)
Sen. William O'Daniel (D- Chicago)

ABSENT
Rep. Dan Rutherford (R-Pontiac)
Sen. Barack Obama (D-Chicago)
Sen. Steve Rauchenberger (R-Elgin)

One of JCAR's criteria for deciding the vote: "Was the agency Illinois Department of Public Health) responsive to public comments concerning the rule-making?" IVAC says IDPH was not responsive. Comments and questions remain incompletely, selectively or inadequately answered.

Quotes from the April 11 State Journal Register (Springfield):

Sen. Doris Karpiel:
"I don't think you can equate it to the same as polio or a deadly disease, I'm opposed philosophically to the state saying you have to do it. If parents want to do it, fine. If they don't they should be allowed not to."

Sen J. Bradley Burzynski:
"I've gotten phone calls and letters from parents who say they have some responsibility here, too, and they're not allowed to make that decision for their kids. Are we going to go in and say everyone has to get a flu shot?"

Contrast the above quotes with a quote from the April 11 Daily Southtown (Chicago):

Ben Katz, M.D., Children's Memorial Hospital, (infectious disease):

"We need to force people to do right thing, unfortunately. We can't leave these decisions up to individuals. I really believe it is inappropriate to debate this with parents."

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