AB 1797: DEVELOPMENT OF A STATE IMMUNIZATION REGISTRY (WEBER)

AB 1797 would mandate the vaccination status of everyone to be entered into the CA Immunization Registry (CAIR). Schools and other entities would have access to all vaccine records, rather than just those of their students/patients or the particular vaccines required for school. This bill would, until January 1, 2026, additionally authorize schools, childcare facilities, family childcare homes, and county human services agencies to use the specified immunization information, in the event of a for the COVID-19 public health emergency, to perform immunization status assessments of pupils, adults, and clients. There is no opt out.

Action Steps

1. Call to oppose AB 1797. Senate Capitol offices (Mon - Thurs). Senate District Offices on Friday.

   • Concentrate on the (D)legislators: If you live in the district of one of these legislators, get everyone you know that also resides in that district to call these legislators to oppose. Be sure to thank the (R) legislators for opposing this bill.

     Phone calls from outside the legislator’s district get thrown out. Give district zip code when calling or leave a message after hours. Please get everyone that lives in the district of the current committee’s voting legislators, to call in mass. Share this information with others.

   • Sample Script:

Hello,

My name is _______, I [live, work or have a business] in Senator _____district. I strongly oppose AB 1797, mandating vaccination records be submitted to CAIR and shared with other agencies without any opt out. The financial costs to the state could be estimated in the hundreds of millions. I am urging the senator to vote NO or ABSTAIN.

Thank you.

*Call District Offices all week, especially Thursday and Friday.

2. Email senators directly to voice your opposition.

• For all Senate members click ONE MINUTE ACTION EMAIL for AB 1797Submit your opposition letter via the California Legislature Position Letter Portal. Any letters submitted to the committee will be retained as part of the committee’s legislative record.

SENATE APPROPRIATIONS committee view bills on it's fiscal impact, the cost of the bill, and how funds can be made or not made for the bill.

When emailing, calling or meeting with members of the appropriation committee, you should focus on points related to the bill’s fiscal impact and how it impacts the state budget. This enables committee members debate about the pro’s and con’s bill.

Senate Appropriations Committee Roster

Fiscal Impact:

DPH estimates General Fund (GF) costs to implement this bill are: $317,000 in fiscal year (FY) 2022-23, $633,000 in FY 2023-24 and $303,000 in FY 2024-25 and ongoing. These costs are for information technology technicians and health educators to support increased enrollment of providers, schools, childcare facilities and human services agencies in the California Immunization Registry (CAIR2).

Unknown costs, possibly in the hundreds of thousands of dollars in total (GF) to local school districts, health departments and other entities to disclose immunization information to LHDs and DPH. Large school districts could incur significant costs. These costs are potentially reimbursable by the state, subject to a determination by the Commission on State Mandates.