Over 550 bills remain on the Governor's desk
including 4 "Bad" bills!
KEEP EMAILING AND CALLING! 

September 26, 2022 Update: Governor Newsom has his work cut out for him in the next 4 days.  He needs to take action on over 550 bills that are awaiting his signature or veto.  Any he does not take action on will become law by default.  4 "Bad" bills that A Voice for Choice Advocacy has been actively opposing throughout this legislative session are part of those awaiting their fate (SB 1479, AB 1797, AB 2098, SB 1419).  Many of the bills Governor Newsom has vetoed thus far have been bills with a significant fiscal impact, so AVFCA is hopeful some of these bills will meet their demise because of that too.  As an example, one of the bills which AVFCA was watching, which met this end is AB 2516, which would have required Medi-Cal to cover the HPV vaccine for minors.  You can read Governor Newsom's signing statement on that here: https://www.gov.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/AB-2516-VETO.pdf

While A Voice for Choice Advocacy's Legislative team and lobbyists have been in contact with the Governor's office, Governor Newsom also needs to hear from YOU AGAIN! So this week, even if you have sent a postcard, or called, or emailed, please call and contact Governor Newsom.   Reminder: Be professional and to the point when calling or contacting the Governor or his staff.  You want him on our side to VETO these bills.  Being rude or obnoxious has the opposite effect.

TAKE ACTION THIS WEEK...

1) CALL GOVERNOR NEWSOM: 

Call Governor Newsom's office or leave a message (916) 445-2841

Sample Script: "I am a CA resident.  I am calling to ask the you to VETO
AB 1797, Assembly Weber’s Immunization Registry bill,
AB 2098, Assembly Member Low’s COVID misinformation/disinformation bill,
SB 1479, Senator Pan's School COVID testing bill
And SB 1419, Senator Becker’s medical privacy bill.” 

2) CONTACT GOVERNOR NEWSOM: 

Go to https://govapps.gov.ca.gov/gov40mail/ - enter your contact information and scroll down on the list to the bill number and submit a comment.  Repeat for each of the 4 bills (SB 1479, AB 1797, AB 2098, SB 1419)

Bill Summary and Key Talking Points

SB 1479 COVID-19 testing in schools: COVID-19 testing plans (Pan) – Testing programs for teachers, staff, and pupils:
(https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202120220SB1479)

SB 1479 will require each school district, county office of education, and charter school to create a COVID-19 testing plan that is consistent with guidance from CDPH or adopt CDPH’s framework. As currently written, SB 1479 is not in line with the most recently published CDC guidelines for schools. SB 1479 is unnecessary and with the amendments does nothing that CA public schools don’t already do.  Even LAUSD, which tested every child weekly last school year, gave up on COVID testing due to the shifting virus and huge expense.  Why create more busy work for schools when they should be focusing their attention and funds on teaching and the education of California’s children?

AB 1797 Immunization registry (Weber) - Modernize California’s Immunization Registry
(https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202120220AB1797)

AB 1797 would require all vaccines - past (as feasibly possible), present and future - to be entered into the CA Immunization Registry (CAIR), causing huge privacy issues for those who do not want their personal medical information in a government database.  Unlike consumer databases, government databases are not covered by the CCPA and so there is no way for private consumers, nor undocumented immigrants, to opt out.  California is pushing to be the sanctuary state for health rights – abortion, transgender treatment, etc – but is forcing those who want medical privacy to get themselves and their children vaccinated out of state so there is no way their personal information will be hacked or leaked.  Does CA really want to create this double standard by putting AB 1797 into law?

AB 2098 Physicians and Surgeons: Unprofessional Conduct (Low) – MD/DO Misinformation: (https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202120220AB2098)
Designates the dissemination or promotion of misinformation or disinformation related to the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, or “COVID-19,” as unprofessional conduct.  The CA Medical Board already has the ability to discipline doctors for causing harm to patients, under 27 different Business & Profession Codes, including 651, 2234, 2261, and 2262. This bill is duplicative and unnecessary. AB 2098 defines “”Misinformation” as false information that is contradicted by contemporary scientific consensus contrary to the standard of care.”  With the ever mutating variants, changing vaccine efficacy and influx of treatments, how can there be “contemporary scientific consensus” or “standard of care” for COVID?  Physicians and Surgeons are going to be stifled in their practice, and innovation and medical advancements will be all but dead when it comes to COVID-19 science in California.  Does California really want to lose more doctors to other states where they can practice without the threat of a witch hunt?

SB 1419 Health Information (Becker) – Prohibits representatives of minors, age 12 years and older, from inspecting minors’ patient records that relate to sensitive medical services:
(https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202120220SB1419)
SB 1419, among other things, prohibits the representative of a minor from inspecting the minor’s patient record when the records relate to certain services, including medical care related to the prevention or treatment of pregnancy, as specified.  This bill would force California parents to endure the unnecessary burden/cost of litigation in an attempt to subpoena/obtain their child’s medical records.  Is California really willing to stop parents from being involved, in times of emergency or death, potentially causing delayed medical care, prolonged adverse events, or worse?

3) SHARE! SHARE! SHARE! GET YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY TO CALL AND CONTACT THE GOVERNOR:

Please share this email with friends and family, as well as on social media so as many people as possible contact the Governor: https://avoiceforchoiceadvocacy.org/4-bad-bills-governor/

4) DONATE SO A VOICE FOR CHOICE ADVOCACY CAN KEEP DOING THIS CRITICAL WORK FOR YOU:

If you found this information helpful and appreciate the work A Voice for Choice Advocacy is doing, please support us by making a donation today.

Together we can make change happen!

C

Christina Hildebrand
President/Founder
A Voice for Choice Advocacy, Inc.
[email protected]
www.AVoiceForChoiceAdvocacy.org