5 Things You Should Know
Do you know the Law as it pertains to Vaccines and our children in California?
1. SB277- A bill written by Senator Dr. Richard Pan. It was signed into law on June 30th, 2015. It
went into effect July 1, 2016. SB277 effectively removed the personal belief exemption as an
alternative to vaccination from all students entering in-person learning, for the 10 vaccines on the
vaccine schedule. A religious/conscience belief exemption is not allowed for any vaccine to
attend school. Learn more here. Here is the link to the actual bill text.
2. Personal Belief Exemptions are allowed for additional vaccines added to the Health Code
schedule for students. This would include the Covid Vaccine for our children. The current health
code states:
120338. Notwithstanding Sections 120325 and 120335, any immunizations deemed appropriate by
the department pursuant to paragraph (11) of subdivision (a) of Section 120325 or paragraph (11)
of subdivision (b) of Section 120335, may be mandated before a pupil’s first admission to any
private or public elementary or secondary school, child care center, day nursery, nursery school,
family day care home, or development center, only if exemptions are allowed for both medical
reasons and personal beliefs.
3. Senator Dr. Pan is already working on a bill to get rid of the personal belief exemption altogether.
Therefore, making the above section null and void for any future vaccines such as the Covid
Vaccine.
4. SB276- Also written by Senator Dr. Pan in 2019. Limited Medical Exemptions as an alternative
to vaccination for students entering in person learning in California. Requires additional
monitoring of medical exemptions and requires specific criteria to be met to receive medical
exemption. Removes physician’s judgement from your child’s health assessment for medical
exemption. Rate of medical exemptions in California is 0.7%. Read more here. Here’s an
article explaining it here.
5. Senator Dr. Pan is the head of the Health Committee in California. This is his last year in office.
He has partnered with the California Medical Association, which has spent over $2 million dollars
on promoting Dr. Pan’s previous bills.