Assemblyman Jamel Holley is whipping votes against an amended version of a bill eliminating religious exemptions for vaccinations due for a vote in the legislature’s lower chamber on Monday.
The Assembly passed the original version of the bill 45-25 with six abstentions last month. The new version creates a carveout for private schools and daycares, though it requires those institutions report the number of enrolled children who inoculated.
“With these new amendments, I can guarantee that a majority, if not all of the African American Members of the Assembly will not be voting in support of this bill that discriminates based on wealth, address and ability to afford private education,” Holley said. “I’m working the phones, and we have gained traction to defeat the bill.”
Holley voted against the original bill, though 10 of the chamber’s black lawmakers voted in its favor. Two of those legislators, Assemblyman Herb Conaway and Assemblywoman Cleopatra Tucker, are sponsoring the bill.
Assemblywoman Britnee Timberlake abstained, and Assemblymen Benjie Wimberly and Gordon Johnson did not vote on the measure.
The new version is a result of negotiations with Republican State Sen. Declan O’Scanlon, whose vote is needed to pass the bill in the legislature’s upper chamber, where defections from five Democratic senators stalled the bill last month.
Even with O’Scanlon, the measure’s fate is far from guaranteed in the Senate, as the watering down the bill could push more Democrats to vote no.
The amendments could have a similar effect in the Assembly.
“Senator O’Scanlon’s vaccine amendments cuts into the fiber of all we have accomplished,” Holley said. “To suggest that we begin to segregate our students is an abomination of what every righteous leader should be standing up against.”
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A3818 and S2173 clearly violate both N.J. and U.S. Constitutions…
NJ CONSTITUTION Article 1, paragraph 5 states:
“NO PERSON SHALL BE DENIED THE ENJOYMENT OF any civil or military right, nor be discriminated against in the exercise of any civil or military right, NOR BE SEGREGATED in the militia or IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS, BECAUSE OF RELIGIOUS PRINCIPLES, race, color, ancestry or national origin.”
UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION 1st Amendment, Bill of Rights states:
“CONGRESS SHALL MAKE NO LAW respecting an establishment of religion, OR PROHIBITING THE FREE EXERCISE THEREOF…”
Religion can never be legislated—It is an unalienable right.
NJ Legislature—Do what you were sworn to do and honor and defend the Constitution.
Vote No on A3818 / S2173.
Making vaccination mandatory (except for valid medical exemptions) does NOT discriminate against anyone based upon their religion. Those who have a religious objection to vaccination are free to homeschool their children.
Freedom of religion does not mean freedom to trample on other people’s rights, such as their right to LIFE, which you are putting at risk if you send your unvaccinated child to school, posing a danger to children or employees with lowered immune systems.
Freedom of religion means that the government will not prevent you from following your religion, unless and until the exercise of your religion violates someone else’s rights. It does not mean that the government places your rights ABOVE those of other citizens. And if the exercise of your religion creates an extra cost or inconvenience for you, that is your issue to deal with. Jews who keep kosher have to spend more money on food than most people, and have to send their kids to school with lunches in most places, because there are not kosher options at the school. The same is true for Muslims who observe the laws of halal foods. CHOOSING to follow a religion sometimes creates burdens on the religious person – that is their choice to make.
You need to educate yourself on vaccines history, their ingredients, their safety, and their effectiveness. You would be amazed quite honestly on what you discover if you dare rome outside of the junk science performed by the manufacturers and propagated by the CDC. Here’s a link to get you started: https://www.icandecide.org/.
I also suggest reading “Dissolving Illusions”. Here’s a link for purchase: https://www.amazon.com/Dissolving-Illusions-Disease-Vaccines-Forgotten/dp/1480216895
Your welcome. Peace
Agreed. You should also educate yourself on the shape of the earth. You’d would be amazed quite honestly on what you discover if you dare rome (sic) outside of the junk science performed by the so-called ‘physicists’ and ‘scientists’ and propagated by the public schools in our kids’ textbooks. Here’s a link to get you started:
https://www.tfes.org/ (the flat earth society).
People against vaccines and flat earthers are very similar and should band together!
Their theories are equally valid!
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Vaccine_Injury_Compensation_Program
Thank you for writing this article, recognizing the socioeconomic segregation this UnConstitutional bill is putting forward, in addition to its promotion of religious persecution. Thank you, Assemblyman!
Thank you for speaking common sense. This is discrimination of another kind and is as wrong as segregation of black and white. We cannot go back in history and allow this to happen.
Thank you Assemblyman Holley for speaking against this discriminatory bill with your colleagues! What an eye-opening experience this has been on how bills can just be pushed through without heros like you to speak reason and educate lawmakers on the real-life impacts. The bill is discriminatory and puts so many disabled children at risk.
The law is discrimination in its original form to segregate people due to vaccination status. Vaccines are liability free products with no safety profile so mandates should never be in place. Everyone should have the free will to opt out of any medical procedure for any reason. Adding these amendments doubles down on discrimination by only allowing the rich to refuse this medical product.
You are a stand up brother and one of the last TRUE politicians out there. Our politicians, especially in the democratic party, are turning into private interest puppets who no longer work for the people they swore to serve. I am a registered independent but you got my vote for whatever! You are a true democrat. The Democrats used to be the party fighting for the “little guys.” Not anymore! They are putting Party over the people and selling us out for quid-pro-quo and kickbacks. Enough is enough! I urge all Democrats, specifically my people of color brethren on the Assembly to not give the modern day Bull Connor AKA Steve Sweeney what he wants—a classist, segregated, NJ where rich people get the privilege of not injecting their children with aborted FETAL cells, Aluminium, Formaldehyde, and other toxic chemicals via Private School. As a black woman, I understand that my black sons will face disproportionate risk for autism should they be injected with all of this poison. They are healthy and THRIVING. My four year old black son reads at a 2nd grade level and is so eager to start school in September. This bill perpetuates the opportunity gap, educational gap, and prevents fair access to an equal and fair public education which our ANCESTORS fought HARD for not too long ago. Must our black Assemblyman and woman undo those efforts in favor of a senate leader (Steve “Bull Connor” Sweeney) who does not understand our plight? The devil is in the details. This is another racist bill cloaked in “public safety” just like Bill Clinton’s Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 which locked up plenty of brown people in favor of “public safety.” Just like Reagan’s War on Drugs. When will the gov be for the people? Thank you Mr. Holley. Your ancestors are proud of you and I am too!
Jennifer, this is incredibly well-written and articulate. Thank you for your opinion. I wish this was on Twitter so we could “tweet” your response!
Jamel Holley is right. A democacry is based on equality. This bill is as inequal as it gets. It signals in an American Apartheid system. It’s a disgrace.
Thank you for your bravery and for your wisdom Assemblyman Holley.
While most Democrats are trying to take away or Freedoms and Liberties, and force medical procedures on the population acting like Pharma Whores and Pharma Henchman, there is finally a Democrat who understands what is really happening here: discrimination, violation of constitutional rights and civil liberties and is fighting FOR the people!
Thank you Assemblyman Holley. The amendment to this bill is more disriminatory than the first. What kind of message does this send to NJ? You can only exercise your constitutional right to religious freedom of you are weathly enough to afford private school? Clearly this bill had nothing to do with public health in the first place. Thank you for speaking the truth.
Thank you, Assemblyman Holley, for being a voice of reason and standing up for our Constitutional rights!
Thank you Assemblyman Holley. I am a teacher and my husband is a police officer and we oppose s2173. My husband was born in Ghana, Africa and came to America as a child to leave his country for freedom. Now we are being forced to inject our baby with ingredients we do not agree with or she can not attend PUBLIC school. How is this morally and ethically okay? NJ does not have an outbreak of anything. We have 9 million people in NJ, but the government is worried about the 2.6% of unvaccinated people? Also based on CDC the majority of adults are not up to date on vaccines, but we are only worried about the kids spreading diseases that they don’t have? Please do whatever you can to help us. EVERY PRIVATE SCHOOL I CALLED DOES NOT ACCEPT RELIGIOUS EXEMPTION. Sweeney is saying they can just go to a private school. Well actually no we can’t. You have my lifetime support regardless of what happens.
Thank you for standing up for what is right, and for calling out the discrimination that is happening. You are exactly the kind of leader we need now more than ever!
Thank you for not only recognizing but also calling out the truth of the socioeconomic segregation this bill entails Thank you, Assemblyman!!!! You are a breath of fresh air!!!!
ASSEMBLYMAN HOLLEY, Thank You for standing opposed to this bill and protecting our Constitutional and First Amendment Rights!
This bill would be worse than what was mandated in Communist Russia. Please say No!
Yes! Yes! Yes! Thank you Assemblyman Holley for standing up to the TRUTH about this Bill.
Dear Governor Murphy,
I am a 12 year old 7th grader who attends middle school in ocean county. I would like to start by giving you some background about myself, I am distinguished honors student, an active member of the youth prevention coalition, sigma math, I am an active member of green team/power save, an ambassador of world’s fair, and an executive committee chair of interact, I play the flute, and represent my school band, I am an ambassador of girl scouts, I participate in sports within my community , and I belong to a local horse -riding stable I also do volunteer work with my local library and I help a foundation that helps kids with disabilities called best day.
As you can see, I have been honored by my teachers, coaches, and instructors to be a member of these activities and academics making me an asset to my school and community. Unfortunately GovernorMurphy, if the law and our constitutional rights for religious exemptions is revoked, I will no longer be able to be an asset to my grade level and overall school and community.
Since my early years in elementary school, my teachers were taken by me, and they would ask “what do you want to be when you get older?” And unlike most kids, I didn’t want to respond with something off of the top of my mind, I went home and really thought about it. I researched different colleges, I spoke with my parents, and told them My teacher asked me, “what do you want to be when you grow up” well, my mom replied with the same question. I was in 3rd grade and I guess it was time to find out what I want to be when I grow up. As a 7th grader, and in this present moment, I’m 100 percent certain of what my goals are for my future career, I am working towards a scholarship to attend harvard law to be a constitutional rights attorney. I hope to one day sit within the United states council and senate. Governor Murphy, my goals will be difficult to achieve without the public school system.
My religious rights are important to me as they were many years ago when the Pilgrims and Puritans sailed the Atlantic to seek religious freedom on the soil of the Americas. Our founding fathers confirmed their journey in religious freedom by creating the first amendment of our constitution. Which states, Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion OR prohibiting the free exercise thereof.
Governor Murphy, I conclude my message with you with one last statement. Rosa Parks, Harritott Tubman, Suzan B Anthony, Ruth Hannah Mccormick, Eleanor Roosevelt, Dr. Martin Luther King, ALL champions in our nation of human rights, and a personal favorite, Thomas Jeffreson, who said and I quote, “the care of human life and happiness, and not their destruction, is the first and only legitimate object of good government”
I vow to continue to fight for my constitutional rights for myself, my sisters, my brothers, my family, and fellow Americans in preserving the first and all amendments of our United States Constitution. I’m confident that your vow, Mr. Governor is to do the same.
Respectfully yours,
7th grade honor student
Thank you, Assemblyman Holley for your courage to do the right thing and stand for the medical freedom for all of our children.
Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Thank you for taking a stand for freedom of choice!!!
Thank you Assemblyman Holley! You are
The true hero and pray that your fellow legislators follow your lead! One size doesn’t fit all and Americans need and deserve to keep their religious and constitutional rights!
Thank you so much for taking a stand! Praying that God gives you the strength for all the future battles to come! Amen.
Wow! What a well thought out response! It’s great to have representation like him for our state. A free thinker! Thank you Asm Holley!
Even a cursory review of the evidence found on http://www.nvic.org would lead a prudent person to question whether inoculations are truly safe. The fact that these politicians are ramming this bill down our throats suggests that they have been co-opted by the powerful pharmaceutical industry, to their disgrace. Thank you, Mr. Holley, for your courageous stand against oppression!
Thank you! Finally a voice of common sense! True American!
Thank you and stand strong Assemblyman Holley 🙏.
Thank you for your bravery, assemblyman! No child should be forced to give up religious rights to comply!
Please run for President in 2024!! You are one of the very few politicians I have seen in a long time who is willing to take a stand for good.
New Jersey Globe- Please consider reporting on the very recent reveal of top W.H.O. vaccine experts admitting at the Vaccine Safety Commission that there isn’t adequate safety data or studies about the vaccine program. https://youtu.be/s2IujhTdCLE
Vaccine mandate laws should be unconstitutional based on the notion that every citizen has bodily autonomy over the right to decide what’s injected into one’s own body. More over, where there is risk there should be choice.
Thank you for opposing this bill that is only further segregating the people of NJ with these new amendments.
Thank you for standing up and speaking out, Assemblyman Holley. We hope and pray the bill will not pass.
This bill, even in the original form, sought to segregate based on the economic ability to quit work and homeschool children. The amendments have just clarified this segregation. Thank you for standing up. No one should be forced to put anything in their bodies they don’t agree with.
We encourage fair and accurate reporting from news sources on this topic. And please – spell check your article.
I just have to mention, even for the private schools this is discriminatory. Imagine attending a private school that has a sign outside of the school building that mentions that there are “4 unvaccinated students in this facility”. That is like adorning a Scarlet Letter or a Yellow Star on yourself. You are targeted for bullying and harassment. Such a law would create discrimination from the rest of the parent body, as well. So not only is this bill discriminating against the poor, but it also creates discrimination and segregation among the wealthy too! Despicable.
Thank you, Assemblyman Holly, for fighting to rid this injustice, which should be so obvious to our lawmakers. You are a hero.
Thank you for your courage and conviction, Senator Holley! We are taking note all over Canada, where our constitutional rights to uncoerced informed consent, bodily integrity and parental rights are being threatened as well. This is a global pharmaceutical push to hand over children and adults to guarantee a life-long vaccine supply chain that puts pharma and shareholder profits over public health. Where there is risk there must be choice. We need more legislators all over North America who have read and researched beyond the “vaccines are safe and effective for everyone, adverse events are one in a million, the CDC schedule of about 70 vaccines before age 18 has been tested for safety” marketing rhetoric being parroted. Finally, the voices of parents of vaccine-injured and deceased children are being heard, believed, and we are heading their warnings. Too many, too soon, and one size fits all is leading to an epidemic of neurological injury, allergies, and auto-immune illness. Choice is for everyone– not just those who can afford private school.
If you think they won’t segregate you and this bill won’t pass, think again. Out here in California I certainly wish there were a man like Holley fighting for my children. They’ve already taken away our rights to religious exemptions,swiftly and quietly; all of the “science” is bought. Real parents with real stories of vaccine injury in their children have nothing to gain financially from speaking out. Vaccines come with a risk, with risk there MUST be choice. Mandates which violate bodily autonomy are not what this country is about.