Oppose Overreach - Health Action MA

02/04/2026

In this powerful moment from our legislative briefing, a dedicated school nurse shares the emotional weight of enforcing policy.

If the religious exemption were removed, she would bear the responsibility of expelling students she knows and cares for. This isn’t abstract policy — it’s real people, real families, and the humanity behind these decisions.

Her role is to protect every child’s health: healthy students, students with medical conditions, students with disabilities, students with religious exemptions, immigrant and homeless children — ALL children, not just some — while promoting inclusion and maximizing time spent learning in the classroom.

This testimony speaks directly to Bill H.2554, introduced by Representative Andy Vargas, which would eliminate the religious exemption for K–12 students in both public and private schools across Massachusetts.

Join Health Action Massachusetts to protect access to education for all children.

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02/03/2026

We’re making updates to our website to better serve our community. Stay tuned, we’ll be back soon.

02/03/2026

Proposed bill H.2554 would remove the religious exemption for vaccination in Massachusetts, impacting about one percent of K–12 students—many of whom have high needs, special needs, or come from low-income households.

Policy decisions have real-world consequences. Exclusion from education causes lasting harm.

Join Health Action Massachusetts to protect access to education for all children.

🔗 See our link in bio, go to HealthActionMA.org comment NEWSLETTER to sign up for updates, resources, and action alerts.

02/01/2026

At Health Action’s legislative briefing on H.2554 — the bill that would remove the religious exemption for school attendance — attorney Pompeii Britt addressed one of the most common arguments we hear:

“No major religion opposes vaccination.”

You’ve undoubtedly heard this claim. It’s a loaded statement, meant to suggest that if a belief opposes vaccination, it therefore cannot be religious — and as a result, is not protected by the Constitution.

That is simply incorrect.

Both the United States Constitution and the Massachusetts Constitution broadly protect religious belief and religious exercise. There is no requirement that a belief be written into the official doctrine of a “major” or organized religion to receive constitutional protection.

Decades of Supreme Court and Supreme Judicial Court precedent make this clear:
A belief may be religious — and constitutionally protected — even if it differs from beliefs more widely held by others in the same faith, a different faith, or even if the individual belongs to no denomination at all.

Religious freedom exists to protect minority and individual beliefs, not just those held by the majority.

🔔 Stay Informed. Stay Engaged.

Follow us and join us as we work to preserve education for all in Massachusetts and protect religious freedom.

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02/01/2026

01/30/2026

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01/29/2026

At a legislative briefing hosted by Health Action MA, Alida — a lawyer, mother, and immigrant — shared how her Indigenous and ancestral faith guides her life and family.

As Massachusetts considers bills that would remove religious exemptions for school attendance, her story highlights what is often missed when policymakers focus only on “major” religions.

Religious freedom exists to protect minorities — not just beliefs deemed acceptable by the majority.

No child should ever be denied access to education because of their sincerely held religious beliefs.

Thank you Alida Moncada for being brave and sharing your heartfelt story so publicly.

01/22/2026

🚨 BREAKING: Major Lawsuit Filed Against the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)

Earlier today, Children’s Health Defense (CHD) filed a federal RICO lawsuit against the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) — alleging decades of fraud related to childhood vaccine safety claims.

Here’s what CHD alleges:

▪️ The AAP has profited from the childhood vaccine system since the 1986 National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act
▪️ The AAP has promoted the claim that vaccines are “fully tested and proven safe,” despite gaps in safety testing and monitoring
▪️ AAP policy statements and publications allegedly concealed material facts about safety risks and financial incentives tied to vaccine schedule compliance
▪️ Families and physicians relied on this guidance — resulting in injuries, deaths, and loss of medical licenses

CHD compares this case to United States v. Philip Morris, where to***co companies were held accountable for denying health risks while profiting from harmful products. This lawsuit similarly challenges a powerful medical trade association for decades of alleged fraudulent health claims.

Who are the co-plaintiffs?
✔️ Families of three children who died following childhood vaccination
✔️ A child denied a valid medical exemption under AAP-influenced policies
✔️ Two physicians who lost their licenses after offering medical opinions that contradicted AAP guidance

But make no mistake — AAP and its allies will fight this aggressively.

The stakes are enormous.

Children’s Health Defense (CHD) and five other plaintiffs today accused the American Academy of Pediatrics of running a decades-long racketeering scheme to defraud American families about the safety of the childhood vaccine schedule. CHD filed the RICO suit in the U.S. District Court for the Distr...

01/21/2026

💙 Health Action MA is updating our Pediatric Provider Recommendations!

Do you have a pediatric provider you trust and would recommend to other families?

We are building the Health Action MA Provider Connector to help families find pediatric providers who practice true informed consent and work collaboratively with parents in medical decision-making — taking into account medical history, individual circumstances, and family values including religious belief.

Your recommendation can help another family find respectful, family-centered care.

👉 Submit a provider recommendation here: https://tinyurl.com/DrRecMA

Thank you for helping us support families across Massachusetts. 🤍

Disclaimer: no provider lists will be published. If you are seeking a provider please email hello@healthactionma.org

01/19/2026

“Education stands as the equalizer, a gift we can offer uniformly to all children, transcending disparities.”
— Candice Edwards, Health Action MA

When children are excluded from school, the harm doesn’t stop at academics — it affects their social growth, mental health, and future opportunities.

Education should unite us, not divide us.

💛 Help us protect access to education for all children.

Visit HealthActionMA.org

01/18/2026

With recent changes at both the federal and state level, it’s understandable that Massachusetts parents have questions about school vaccine requirements.

That’s why we’re starting a multi-part series to clearly explain what has changed, what hasn’t, and what families need to know.

👉 Part One breaks down the current school immunization requirements in Massachusetts.