CALIFORNIA’S “7 Bad Bills”: CALL TO ACTION

Our amazing clients and partners at PERK (Protecting the Educational Rights of Kids) have put together resources for opposing the “SEVEN Bad Bills” heading through the California Assembly and Senate. We need every person and every organization voicing their opposition and fight for medical freedom:

WHAT SHOULD I DO?

1. Submit an “opposition letter” to your representatives through the CA Legislative Portal ASAP (see detailed instructions at end. TAKES 2 MINUTES. Please ACT NOW!)
   1. What is an “opposition letter”?
      1. A brief letter in your own words summarizing your position on each bill.
         1. Make sure your letter is professional, persuasive, and to the point. We want them to read this and they are receiving thousands.
      2. When is it due?
         1. Opposition – and supporting – letters are due 7 days prior to a scheduled hearing to be included in the analysis; however, we do not have all the hearing dates set, yes.
         2. That said, why wait?! Let’s submit them NOW so
            1. Legislators actually have time to read them +
            2. Do not stress yourself out at the last minute scramble.
         3. Who should send a letter?
            1. Business owners, charities, unions, school boards, Chambers of Commerce, City Councils, etc. 
            2. Everyone will be affected by these bills in one way or another.
            3. They will present different perspectives that might be overlooked but are critical and should be considered in deciding whether or not to vote for these bills.
         4. Call your legislator and officially register your opposition.
            1. You do not have to give your name or address.
            2. Just state, “My name is [FIRST NAME]. I live in the District and would like to register my OPPOSITION to bill [871/866/1993/1797/2098/1479/920] because [2-3 REASONS BRIEFLY WHY].”
         5. Make an appointment to meet with your legislator – in person or by ZOOM – to discuss these bills.
            1. Find your legislator: https://findyourrep.legislature.ca.gov/
            2. Learn how to meet with your Legislator using FLTJ’s “Step-by-Step Toolkit to Winning the 2022 CA Legislative Session”

WHY?? CALIFORNIA’S “SEVEN BAD BILLS”

The California Legislator is currently in session and there are now “7 Bad Bills” in the pipeline. Whether you are old or young; retired, working, or wanting to work (intern); in or out of school; healthy, able-bodied, religious or not, you and your families’ and friends’ lives will be affected by these bills. Here is a brief run-down of each of these Bills:

1. SB 871: Public health: immunizations – “Keep Schools Open and Safe Act” (introduced by Senator Richard Pan): Will require the COVID-19 vaccine to attend in-person daycare and K-12 public or private school, starting January 1, 2023. Will remove the personal belief exemption from future CDPH added vaccines and removes the 7th grade exemption for Hepatitis B. Assigned: Senate Health and Education Committee.

2. SB 866: Minors: vaccine consent – “Teens Choose Vaccines Act” (introduced by Senator Scott Wiener): Will remove parental consent and authorize minors twelve years of age and over to consent to vaccines that meet specified federal agency criteria. Will authorize a vaccine provider, as defined as someone who “regularly administers vaccines” (e.g. doctor, CVS, Rite Aid, etc.), to administer a vaccine pursuant to the bill. Will notauthorize the vaccine provider to provide any service that is otherwise outside the vaccine provider’s scope of practice. Assigned: Senate Judiciary Committee.
3. AB 1993: Employment: COVID-19 vaccination requirements – “Keep Workplaces Open and Safe” (presented by Assembly Member Buffy Wicks): Will require private and public employers to require allemployees and independent contractors to show proof of full vaccination against COVID-19, regardless of business size, until the CDC determines that COVID-19 vaccinations are no longer necessary for the health and safety of individuals. Fines will be imposed on those employers who fail to comply. The requirement will notapply to a person who is ineligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine due to a medical condition, disability, or because of a sincerely held religious belief. Pending Referral: may be assigned March 13.
4. AB 1797: Immunization registry – “Modernize California’s Immunization Registry” (introduced by Assembly Members Akilah Weber): Will merge the three CA Immunization Registry tracking systems to create one statewide system and all vaccines will be required to be entered into the CA Immunization Registry (CAIR). Schools and other entities will have access to all vaccine records, rather than just those of their students/patients or the particular vaccines required for school. Pending Referral: may be assigned March 10.
5. AB 2098: Physicians and surgeons: unprofessional conduct (introduced by Assembly Person Evan Low): Will designate the dissemination or promotion of misinformation related to the SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19 by a physician or surgeon as “unprofessional conduct,” allowing the Medical Board to take action against such physician or surgeon. The Medical Board will base their consideration on “applicable standard of care” and “contemporary scientific consensus” neither of which currently exist for COVID-19. Assembly Business and Professions Committee.
6. SB 1479: Requires schools to continue COVID19 testing – “COVID19 testing in schools: COVID19 testing plans” (introduced by Senator Pan): contingent on an appropriation, will require federally-funded school districts, county offices of education, and charter schools to continue COVID-19 testing programs and require appropriated funds to be used for testing. Will also require those funds to be used to expand contagious, infectious, or communicable disease testing and other public health mitigation efforts to include prekindergarten, onsite after school programs, and childcare centers. Not assigned yet.

7. SB 920: Medical Board of California: investigations: record requests (introduced by Senator Melissa Hurtado): Will authorize a medical board investigator and a medical consultant, at the discretion of the board, to inspect the business location and records of a physician or surgeon, including patient and client records, without patient’s consent. Also allows complainants the opportunity to provide a statement to be considered after final adjudication for purposes of setting generally applicable policies and standards. Assigned to: Senate Business, Professions and Economic Development Committee and Judiciary Committee.

Summaries and Talking points contributed by AVFCA, CHCA and FOR- US, PERK, Freedom Keepers, COHR

HOW TO SUBMIT LETTER:

Any Type of Letters

• Are due by 3:00 p.m. seven (7) calendar days before a scheduled hearing in order to be considered in the analysis.
  • The hearings have not been set yet. HOWEVER, start submitting your papers now so you (1) you not scrambling once they are and (2) you give them time to review and consider your points.
    
    
  • Be sure to be following @factslawtruthjustice, @ca_freedom_keepers, @perk_group and/or @avoiceforchoice so you know when the hearings are scheduled and can respond to Calls to Action (“CTA’s”).
    
    
• Letters must clearly indicate position – “Support” or “Oppose” – letters containing “concerns” or “conditional support will not be listed on the analysis.
  
  
• Submit letters only once, unless bill is subsequently amended causing uncertainty as to the organization’s present position.

• Submit via the Legislature’s Advocacy Portal [“Submit Position Letter”] and/or Mail to: Senate Health Committee, State Capitol Room 2191, Sacramento, CA 95814.

How to Submit Online Via the Portal

1. Go to the California Legislature’s Position Letter Portal and create an account.
   1. If you are the head of an organization, please register as an individual and as an organization and submit your papers on behalf of both.

3. Select “Measure Number” (means bill number, e.g. AB1993, SB866).
4. Select “Session Type” (Regular).
5. Hit “Search” button.
6. Select the Committees to submit to.

   There will be a drop down with all the committees that the measure has been assigned to. Please submit your statements to each one listed.

7. Select your stance (Support or Oppose).
8. Input note message in the note box AND/OR attach your letter. 

9. Complete the Captcha and select the “Submit” button.
10. Repeat for each committee and each bill.
11. For more detailed steps please
    1. Watch this 3 min video from the CA Legislature’s “How to Submit a Letter”
    2. Visit their FAQ’s Section.
    3. Review the Legislature’s Advocacy Quick Reference Guide

 Notes for Organizational and/or Coalition Letters

1. Must be on letterhead with signature and title of an official of the organization.
2. Include all logos, signatures, and titles for all organizations in the coalition.