|
Take Action Today to remove the requirement
for 8-12th graders to be vaccinated for HPV
Bill Update: AB 659 ((https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202320240AB659) which was recently introduced by Assembly Member Aguiar-Curry, was amended on Friday, so that it now has two parts:
1. Requires 8-12th graders to get vaccinated against Human Papillomavirus (HPV), a sexually transmitted infection (STI), to attend public or private school, starting January 1 2024.
AVFCA Position: Strongly Opposed
2. Expands the insurance coverage requirements for an annual cervical cancer screening test and to provide coverage for the HPV vaccine. (Note: this is the exact same language as AB 2516, which Asm Aguiar-Curry carried through the legislature in 2022, but ended with the Governor vetoing it)
AVFCA Position: Neutral
The addition of the insurance coverage language is a clever tactic, as makes it extremely unlikely that this bill will be pulled or die, given that AB 2516 eased through the legislature along party lines. So the key to AB 659, will be to ensure that Asm Aguiar-Curry feels the pressure from her colleagues to amend the bill to remove the school HPV vaccine requirement.
Status of the Bill: Has been assigned to the Assembly Committee on Health. Cannot be heard in committee before March 12th. The Assembly Committee on Health meets on Tuesdays, so the earliest date on which it could be heard is March 14th, 2023. AVFCA is trying to get this also assigned to the Assembly Committee on Education.
AB 659 Resources
A Voice for Choice Advocacy has put together a number of resources for you to be effective in communicating with your legislators and encouraging other individuals and organizations to do the same.
Key Ask of Legislators: To request Assembly Member Aguiar-Curry to amend the bill to remove the addition of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine requirement for all 8-12th graders to attend public or private school.
Talking Points and Flyers:
- AVFCA one page flyer to print out and share with legislators at meetings: https://avoiceforchoiceadvocacy.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/AVFCA-AB659-Aguiar-Curry-Opposition-Talking-Points.pdf
- AVCFA talking points reference document to give you more information to supplement your conversations and letters. You are welcome to put these points in your own words, but please DO NOT print and distribute this document, or sections of it. https://avoiceforchoiceadvocacy.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/AVFCA-AB659-Aguiar-Curry-Opposition-Talking-Points.pdf
- AVFCA Letter of Oppose unless Amended to the legislature that you can print and share with your legislators and other organizations: https://avoiceforchoiceadvocacy.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/AVFCA-AB659-Letter-of-Opposition-unless-Amended-Aguiar-Curry.pdf
Take Action TODAY!
Please commit to taking ALL four actions, not just some, as they all serve a different purpose and to defeat the HPV Vaccine Mandate will require every effort. (e.g. writing an email is no substitute for meeting your legislator in person)
1) Email your Assembly Member and Senator, as well as the Assembly Health Committee Members, using AVFCA’s easy to use online portal.
Go to https://secure.everyaction.com/GRua9QtIakSt_CI7vwCLQw2 and send an email legislators to request Asm Aguiar-Curry to remove the HPV vaccine requirement. Please personalize the body of this email, as otherwise legislators think it is a bot that sent the email and ignore it. Use the resources above to create your talking points. Note: the AVFCA portal does not send you what you wrote, so before you click submit, you may want to copy it to a personal document it so you have it for future reference.
2) Make an appointment TODAY to meet with your CA Assembly Member and their staff to ask them to request AB 659 be amended to remove the School HPV Vaccine Mandate
- Not sure who that is - enter your address here: https://findyourrep.legislature.ca.gov/ (Note: No need to contact your Senator yet)
- Not sure how to set up a meeting and build a trusted relationship with your legislators - watch this webinar: https://youtu.be/NGwnwAcJJZ4. Be sure to mention you are a constituent.
- Not sure what to say – print out and use the AVFCA resources above
3) Make an appointment TODAY to meet with organization leaders to educate them about AB 659
One of the key ways “Bad Bills” were killed in 2022 was to have a diverse group of organizations from outside the Medical Freedom movement oppose the bills. This needs to happen with AB 659.
Reach out and meet with religious leaders, individual school board members, individual board of supervisors, private school principals, and other organizations to understand the ramifications of the bill on their schools, parishioners, etc. Use the AVFCA resources to encourage them to request the school HPV mandate be removed from AB 659.
4) Submit a letter of opposition to the Legislative Portal, as an individual and on behalf of any organization you represent, and encourage other organizations to do the same:
- Write a brief letter in your own words asking the Assembly Health Committee to OPPOSE AB 659 to remove the HPV Vaccine Mandate. This does not need to be more than a few sentences stating “I oppose AB 659 bill because ….”. Make sure your letter is polite, to the point, and sounds convincing. Remember you are trying to sway the legislators to vote the way you want them to, not alienate them. If you can write on behalf of an organization or company, be sure to put your letter on a letterhead and sign it, so that it gets recognized.
- Create an account or sign in at https://calegislation.lc.ca.gov/Advocates/
- Click “Submit a letter” and enter the bill number (AB 659), and follow the instructions to upload your letter to Assembly Health and Education Committees.
5) Forward this email to anyone in California, especially doctors and parents. Share this email on social media: https://avoiceforchoiceadvocacy.org/ab-659-school-hpv-vaccine-mandate/
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.
Knowing how to create a trusted, professional relationship with your legislator is not always easy, and it can be hard to know where to start. Christina, who during 2015, spent ever Monday thru Wednesday in Sacramento lobbying alongside our seasoned lobbyist, learning the tricks of the trade, and since then has had hundreds of legislative meetings, has shared her knowledge in this video, so you can be as effective as possible.
https://youtu.be/NGwnwAcJJZ4
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
|
