AB 659 Win! School HPV Vaccine Mandate Removed, but
Now would mandate for CSU, UC and Community Colleges
So still needs your Activism! 

Bill Update:  Since A Voice for Choice Advocacy broke the news of AB 659 being introduced, our organization has worked tirelessly to put pressure on Assembly Member Aguiar Curry to amend the bill to remove the School HPV Vaccine requirement for 8-12th grade.  That included meeting with the Assembly Member herself, as well as meeting with someone from every Assembly Health Committee members' office to share our concerns and opposition.  A Voice for Choice Advocacy also send the HPV Vaccine on Trial book to every Assembly Member.  Our organization, also worked with other key organizations to bring awareness to the public and to help you to voice your opposition through phone calls, our email campaign, social media campaigns and outreach to organizations and public and private school boards.  These generated thousand of communications with the Assembly Health Committee members' offices.  All this activism resulted in Assembly Member Aguiar Curry amending the bill to remove the HPV Vaccine Mandate for 8-12th graders.  Please take a moment to recognize what a HUGE WIN this is for our teens!

However, while this section was removed, the amendments also added two new requirements:

1) The requirement that all 6th graders and their parents recieve a notice stating that it is public policy to get vaccinated with the HPV vaccine and that all students should have recieved the vaccine by 8th grade.

2)  Would add an HPV vaccine requirement for enrollment at a California State University, the University of California and at any Community College if those entities pass a resolution to require it.  Only a medical exemption would be allowed.

While A Voice for Choice Advocacy has not done a full analysis of the amendments, our initial reaction is that we still oppose the bill because:

1) If the notice is being given directly to students, it will most likely include that they can get the HPV vaccine without parental consent (current law) and it will not mention that while the HPV vaccine is advised by 8th grade, it is not a requirement.  AVFCA believes the notification should include a statement that this is not a requirement to continue to attend school, and will be asking for this amendment.

2) There is no religious, personal belief or conscious belief exemption included in the university/college requirement.  AVFCA will be requesting the bill be amended further to add this.

In the coming days A Voice for Choice Advocacy will do a more thorough analysis and will be updating our resources and educational materials to reflect these amendments and our concerns, but AVFCA wanted to share the news of these amendments, as soon as possible with you!

Over the past 8 years, A Voice for Choice Advocacy has established itself as the leading legislative organization lobbying in the California Capitol for your health rights.  While A Voice for Choice Advocacy's lobbying activity in the Capitol is important, your positive constituent relationships with your CA State Senator and Assembly Member and their staff are critical to assisting with A Voice for Choice Advocacy's efforts in the Capitol.  

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