The next month, California lawmakers took aim at the “personal belief” exemption to immunization by proposing a bill – SB 277 – that would eliminate it.
While this bill captured headlines even before it was introduced on February 19, it is not the only pending bill addressing immunization.
A few days after Senators Pan and Allen and more than a dozen of their colleagues co-authored SB 277, Assembly member Cristina Garcia introduced Assembly Bill 1117.
As introduced on February 27, the bill is a one-paragraph “spot bill,” created to meet certain deadlines. The text of the bill itself simply states, “It is the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation to improve vaccination rates for persons two years of age in Medi-Cal managed Care.”
It is likely that a later version of this bill will flesh out its provisions.
A third pending bill also addresses immunizations. Senator Tony Mendoza’s measure, Senate Bill 792, would require all persons employed at day care centers and family day care homes to be immunized against influenza, pertussis and measles.
As of this writing, SB 277 has been referred to three Senate Committees (Health, Education and Judiciary); AB 1117 and SB 792 are both awaiting assignment to committee.
