NOTICE: There was no hearing yesterday, June 7th for AB 659! There was incorrect information circulating about a call to action and hearing. The bill is still in the Senate Rules committee waiting for assignment to committees. It was not in the Daily File yesterday. The primary role of the Senate Rules Committee is not to hear bills, but to assign bills to the proper committee. As an established leader, PERK has built relationships in Sacramento since 2019. We have established credibility and a solid weekly presence at the Capitol on these matters. We provide our PERK supporters with strategic calls to action depending on the status and location of legislation like AB 659. Our Call to Action is the following:

Call to Action: Click the quick click below and ask Senator Newman to "request that AB 659 be heard in the Senate Education Committee." We also suggest you copy the entire Education Committee and Consultants.

Contact Senator Newman: (916) 651-4029 senator.newman@senate.ca.gov

AB 659 - HPV Cancer Prevention Act (Aguiar-Curry)

Assembly Bill 659, also known as the HPV vaccine mandate bill has been amended. Amendments removed the mandate for 8th graders and college students, but declares a state policy that it is "expected" for attendance. This language leaves it open to misinterpretation to think the HPV vaccination is required.

Summary of the Amendments

• Leaves insurance expansion coverage intact.

• Removes the middle school HPV vaccine mandate to advance to 8th grade.

• Removes the HPV vaccine mandate for college students

• Creates a mandatory middle school notice to sent out to all 6th graders that HPV vaccination is expected before moving into the 8th grade instead of mandate.

• Creates a new higher education policy for first-time enrollees under age 26 at CCC, CSU and U.C. (all colleges and universities) that all students are expected be fully vaccinated for HPV.

Status of Bill

Senate Rules Committee

Why we oppose unless Amended

"Amendments removed the mandate for 8th graders and college students, but declares a state policy that it is "expected" for attendance. This language leaves it open to misinterpretation to think the HPV vaccine is required."

Action Steps

1. Use our one click action campaign to the CA Senate Rules Committee directly to request a double referral to Senate Health and Education Committees.

2. Use our one click action campaign to contact Senator Newman and Education Committee members to request AB 659 be heard in their committee.

3. Submit your letter of opposition via the Legislative Portal. Instructions here on how to submit a letter.

4. Meet with your CA Senator’s office to discuss your opposition to AB 659. Tell them you oppose AB659, unless language is changed from “expected” to “recommend”. Find your Rep

5. Reach out to parents to let them know the bill intends to mislead and misinform them and their children. Ask them to present their concerns to their state Assembly member with an ask to abstain on the bill.

AB 665 consent to mental health services (Carrillo, Wiener)

This bill would align the existing laws by removing the additional requirement that, in order to consent to mental health treatment or counseling on an outpatient basis, or to residential shelter services, the minor must present a danger of serious physical or mental harm to themselves or to others, or be the alleged victim of incest or child abuse.

Assembly Bill 665 would remove the requirement that children must be a danger to themselves or others, or be alleged incest or abuse victims, before seeking care without their parents' consent.

Status of Bill:

Sen Judiciary Committee Hearing Date: 06/20/23 at 1:30 p.m.

Reasons to oppose:

• This will remove the guardrails that prevent abuse of current law, so instead of cases of emergency, mental health professionals or school psychologists can refer for treatment and/or send a child to residential shelter services for any reason without parental consent or knowledge

• The bill will give mental health counselors unfettered control over children age 12 and above and place children in residential facilities upon a minor’s request, even if the children are not experiencing abuse or neglect at home.

• The law would enable school counselors, without parental knowledge or consent, to send children straight to a group home if the children say their parents aren’t supportive of their “gender identities".

• This proposed bill would open up the law for abuse by officials, administrators etc.  Guardrails must be kept in place to prevent misusing the law.

Action Steps:

1. Reach out to parents to let them know the bill intends to mislead and misinform them and their children. Ask them to present their concerns to their state Senator with an ask to oppose or abstain on the bill.

2. Use PERK’s one click action campaign to contact Senate Judiciary committee by email and social media. Telling them to vote no or abstain on AB 665, unless the author guts and amends the bill by leaving Family Code 6924 alone. Instead, amend Welfare & Institutions 14029.8 to remove the word “not.”  This will immediately enable Medi-Cal benefits for disadvantaged kids to receive counseling for any reason under Health & Safety Code 124260.  You can preserve your goal without removing safety guardrails.

More resources:

https://factslawtruthjustice.substack.com/p/ab665-resources?sd=pf