2024: The Year in Review 🧨
A look back at an amazing year for health freedom!
Enjoy this Health Freedom Louisiana year in review!
2024 has been an incredible year!
There were many victories in 2024, but we begin with what may have been the most significant moment of the year for health freedom in Louisiana.
During the Covid Commission before the Select Committee on Homeland Security on September 26th, Louisiana Surgeon General Dr. Ralph Abraham condemned the Edwards administration's covid public health policy, stating if he had been in charge he would have done “just about everything” differently. Dr. Abraham outlined the many failings of Edwards’ Department of Health, the most significant being the constitutional violations experienced by all Americans.
“It’s been my observation that nearly every intervention attempted by the government has been ineffective, counterproductive, and antithetical to the core principles of a free society. Mask mandates, lockdowns, forced closures of churches, schools, and businesses, coerced vaccinations, and suppression or intimidation of those who resisted are just a few examples of policies endorsed by the previous administration, which I opposed then and still oppose now, not only because the policies were practically ineffective at achieving the stated goals, but primarily because they violate constitutional protections guaranteed to all Americans.”
“When in doubt, choose freedom,” was perhaps the most profound statement in Abraham’s address to the committee and even more so because it was offered with such humility when he noted he borrowed it from the newly appointed Deputy Surgeon General, Dr. Wyche Coleman, who sat at the table with him. Considering the arrogance and incompetence of the Louisiana Department of Health leadership under John Bel Edwards, Abraham’s comments were incredibly refreshing. Watch a few minutes of Dr. Abraham’s presentation in the clip below.
Another pivotal moment in 2024 occurred when renowned vaccine and civil rights attorney Aaron Siri testified before the COVID Commission, highlighting how the federal health agencies' negligent oversight of the CDC's recommended childhood vaccine schedule paved the way for the approval of the unsafe covid vaccines. Siri outlined the insufficient clinical trial process for existing “childhood” vaccines, including the lack of inert placebo control groups and the enormous incentive to get a vaccine on the childhood schedule where it will be guaranteed freedom from liability.
When asked by the committee chairman, Representative Jay Galle, “Am I to pull from this that none of the vaccines, including the covid vaccine, has not been properly tested?” Siri answered, “Absolutely. Not a single childhood vaccine, I can tell you, has gone through a placebo-controlled clinical trial, sufficient duration, and power to assess that it was safe before being injected into millions of children in America.” Watch Siri’s full comment below and watch the entire presentation in this substack.
The 2024 legislative session is one of our greatest highlights this year! HR133 by Representative Chuck Owen created the Covid Commission, a series of planned hearings to review the states’ response to covid and inform future legislation and policies to prevent government overreach. Louisiana is one of only a handful of states to convene a panel for this purpose.
Rep. Owen made herculean efforts to pass HB976, the Don Scoggins law, which will ensure that no Louisianan will be denied access to loved ones and forced to suffer or die alone while hospitalized or in long-term care facilities. Covid cost us our humanity in many respects but most especially concerning our vulnerable loved ones, forced to be separated from family and friends for months on end. This is perhaps one of the most critically needed bills of the session.
In 2024, Louisiana became the first state to prohibit discrimination in all Louisiana schools based on a student’s vaccination status with the passage of Representative Beryl Amedee’s HB908. Louisiana also became the first state to reject the authority of the World Health Organization, the World Economic Forum, and the United Nations with the passage of SB133 by Senators Thomas Pressly & Valarie Hodges and Representative Kathy Edmonston.
Another huge win for health freedom was the passage of Rep. Edmonston’s HB47 which requires all Louisiana schools to inform parents and students of the state’s existing exemption law. This legislation was initially introduced by Representative Danny McCormick in 2020 so we are thrilled to finally see it in place. Rep. Edmonston also carried HB46 which prevents schools from inquiring about a student’s covid vaccination status. Both of these pieces of legislation were initially vetoed by Edwards in 2023.
HB357 by Rep. Amedee prevents the establishment of a Central Bank Digital Currency, another bill initially vetoed by Edwards in 2023.
Senator Alan Seabaugh’s SB357 clarifies the emergency powers section of law that allows the surviving members of either chamber to end all or part of a declared emergency. JBE held us hostage for years because the legislature was afraid to challenge this law.
Freshman legislator, Representative Kim Coates, successfully carried legislation to legalize the sale of raw milk - a huge win for Louisiana! One of our favorite moments of the session occurred during the first committee hearing for HB476 when Rep. McCormick made the following statement:
“Free people drink what free people want to drink.” Heck yeah!
Two House Resolutions, HR222 and HR292, by Reps. Edmonston and Amedee respectively also passed and are being evaluated. HR222 is a study resolution evaluating the environmental causes of autism and HR292 is a study resolution that will evaluate SIDS deaths in correlation with their vaccination records. The data these two studies provide could be invaluable in fostering a healthier Louisiana. Again, Louisiana leads the way with HR292 as no other state has taken the initiative to study sudden and unexplained infant deaths in comparison with their immunization records.
We are so very thankful for the wonderful legislators who work tirelessly to pass legislation to protect health freedom!
Find out more about our wins and losses this legislative session in previous substack articles.
Perhaps the most historic health freedom event of the year was the alliance created when Robert F. Kennedy Jr. joined forces with President Donald Trump to defeat Democrats in the 2024 presidential election. The Make America Healthy Again agenda has electrified the health freedom movement.
The 2024 legislative session helped us identify future members of the Louisiana MAHA Caucus! Twenty-eight House members voted YES on all of our bills and another fourteen only voted against us once. That is a huge contingency of like-minded legislators! The Senate did not vote on all the bills that the House did, but 29 Senators still voted yes on the bills we advocated for. How many members of the House and Senate will qualify for the Louisiana MAHA Caucas? More to come!!
Now for the non-legislative highlights. . .
After four years of John Bel Edwards’ medical tyranny, Governor Jeff Landry’s inaugural ball on January 8, 2024, felt like a victory party for health freedom! Melisha Dooley, a founder of Louisiana Parents for Vaccine Rights, was there to celebrate with us. Despite living in Mississippi, Melisha provides tremendous support to Health Freedom Louisiana!
Also in January, the Children’s Health Defense bus stopped briefly in Bossier City, LA!
The Republican Women of Bossier graciously extended an invitation to Jill to speak at their February meeting. HFL is so appreciative of the support of Republican women from across the state! We encourage you to join your local group.
In March, state school Superintendent Cade Brumley introduced a policy change to Bulletin 741 that would require schools to inform parents of the exemption law. Below are health freedom advocates who traveled to the capital to participate in the BESE meeting.
In February, Jill hosted a vaccine safety presentation for the public and legislators at the Baton Rouge office of Citizens for a New Louisiana. Many thanks to Jamie Pope and Micheal Lunsford for the use of the office space! Citizens for a New Louisiana is LA DOGE - watch their work in 2025!
In March, Jill traveled to Washington, D.C. for the Supreme Court hearing to review the preliminary injunction in Murthy v Missouri, aka Missouri v Biden. While SCOTUS ruled in favor of the defendants in this hearing, the case is ongoing and discovery continues as the case has yet to be heard on its merits. Below are plaintiffs Drs. Jay Bhattacharya and Aaron Kheriaty, New Civil Liberties Litigation Counsel Jenin Younes, Jill Hines, and NCLA President and Chief Legal Officer Mark Chenoweth.
Also in March, Jill spoke to the EBR Women’s Republican Club. Thank you to the ladies of EBR for your continued support!! We so appreciate your advocacy!
In May, Fiorella and Jill joined Senator Thomas Pressly for the signing of SB133, the WHO bill.
In June, Rep Chuck Owens’ Don Scoggins law was signed by Governor Landry. It was such an honor to advocate for this legislation.
In June, HFL attended the signing event for three health freedom bills in Lafayette. We are so very thankful for the support of Governor Jeff Landry!
The Lafayette event is where Rep Beryl Amedee’s historic HB908 was signed into law. This law is the first of its kind in the country to prevent discrimination in schools — including colleges and universities — based on a student’s vaccination status.
In August, Jill spoke to the Republican Women of Central - it was a fantastic turnout! Many thanks to the ladies of Central!!
Also in August, HFL was thrilled to promote the Lafayette screening of Protocol 7 starring Louisiana native Rachel Whittle. If you haven’t seen this incredible movie yet, it can be found at YOW.tv.
We were thrilled to visit with Aaron Siri when he gave his brilliant presentation at the Capitol in September.
Dr. Richard Bartlett gave an amazing presentation before the Covid Commission in September. The press still hasn’t quite recovered from it.
Also in September, Fiorella and Jill traveled to D.C. with Dr. Holly Groh for the Rescue the Republic event.
While in D.C. we made appointments with the offices of Congressman Clay Higgins, Speaker Mike Johnson, Congressman Steve Scalise, and Senator John Kennedy to advocate for H.R. 9828, the vaccine immunity carveout bill, and H.R. 1423, the WHO pandemic bill.
Jill’s last presentation of the year was for the Fleur de Lis Republican Women in Lafayette! We are so thankful for this energized group of ladies!!
Our wonderful friends at Stand for Health Freedom are such an incredible resource for small organizations like ours. We want to share this amazing article from, of all places, The New York Times. It is undeniable that health freedom is a winning rallying cry and SHF’s partnership has played a tremendous role in our success.
How ‘Health Freedom’ Became a Winning Rallying Cry
On January 14th, 2025, Jill will present to the Governor’s Children’s Cabinet. The meeting is scheduled for 10-12 pm in the 4th floor press room. The public is invited - please join us!
This is just a small snapshot of the work we do at Health Freedom Louisiana. We look forward to another amazing year ahead advocating for your health freedom!
If you value our work, please consider donating to support our efforts in protecting your rights and freedoms. We are 100% volunteer. We do not get paid and we do not pocket any of the money we receive; it all goes towards covering expenses. We give our time to research, inform, and empower others because we know it’s critical to maintaining our liberties. Parents must know their rights so they can protect their freedom.
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