In 2017, AVFCA Supported:
CA SB210 Clean Water in Schools Act (Leyva)
CA AB746 Public health: potable water: lead testing: schoolsites and campuses (Gonzalez Fletcher)
CA SB504 Protecting Californians from Synthetic Food Dyes Act (Wieckowski)
CA SB258 Cleaning Product Right to Know Act of 2017 (Lara)
CA SB602 Pesticides: neonicotinoids: labeling (B. Allen)
CA SB746 Pupil health: physical examinations (Portantino)
CA AB14 Political Reform Act of 1974: campaign disclosures (Gomez)
CA SB651 Initiative, referendum, and recall petitions: circulators (Allen)
In 2017, AVFCA Opposed:
CA SB18/SCR41 Bill of Rights for the Children and Youth of California: joint legislative committee (Pan)
CA SB426 Community-based home visitation pilot program (Pan)
CA SB443 Optometry: scope of practice (Salas)
CA SB649 Wireless Telecommunications Facilities (Hueso)
(With Requested Amendments) CA SB382 Pest control: mosquito abatement (Pan)
CA SB457 Out-of-Hospital Childbirths: physicians and surgeons: licensed midwives: certified nurse-midwives (Bates)
In 2017, AVFCA is Watched:
(With Requested Amendments) CA AB1098 Child death investigations: review teams (McCarty & Arambula)
CA AB1520 Pulling Children Out of Poverty (Burke)
CA AB992 CalWORKs: Baby Wellness and Family Support Home Visiting Program (Arambula)
CA SB562 Single Payer Healthcare (Lara and Atkins)
CA AB165 Privacy: electronic communications: exclusions: local educational agencies (Cooper)
AVFC Supported:
CA SB210 Clean Water in Schools Act (Leyva)
http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=201720180SB210
Originally, this bill aimed to ensure that water in schools throughout California is free from elevated levels of lead by requiring schools to test their water fixtures, provide lead free water for students, and inform parents of lead contamination.
AVFCA Position: Support (Click here to view AVFCA’s letter of support for SB210)
Status: Died (Gut and amended to different bill).
CA AB746 Public health: potable water: lead testing: schoolsites and campuses (Gonzalez-Fletcher)
http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=201720180AB746
This bill was amended through its passage and now requires a community water system that serves a schoolsite of a local educational agency with a building constructed before January 1, 2010, to test for lead in the potable water system of the schoolsite before January 1, 2019. The bill would require the community water system to report its findings to the schoolsite, as specified, and, if the schoolsite’s lead level exceeds a certain level, to test a water sample from the point at which the schoolsite connects to the community water system’s supply network. The bill would require the local educational agency, if the lead level exceeds the specified level at a schoolsite, to notify the parents and guardians of the pupils who attend the schoolsite or preschool. The bill would require the local educational agency to take immediate steps to make inoperable and shut down from use all fountains and faucets where the excess lead levels may exist and would require the local educational agency to work with the school site to ensure that a potable source of drinking water is provided for students.
AVFCA Position: Support (Click here to view AVFCA’s letter of support for SB746)
Current Status: Chaptered.
CA SB504 Protecting Californians from Synthetic Food Dyes Act (Wieckowski)
http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=201720180SB504
This bill requested a report on if and how synthetic dyes adversely affect some children’s behavior, and what if any risk management options are available to the legislature.
AVFCA Position: Support, with possible amendments (Click here to view AVFCA’s letter of support for SB504)
Current Status: Died in Senate Appropriations Committee.
CA SB258 Cleaning Product Right to Know Act of 2017 (Lara)
http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=201720180SB258
This bill required a manufacturer of a cleaning product, as defined, that is manufactured or sold in the state on or after January 1, 2018, to disclose ingredients or contaminants contained in and health impact information related to the cleaning product on the product label, post the cleaning product ingredient information on the manufacturer’s Internet Web site, and include specified information on the cleaning product’s label concerning ingredients or contaminants of concern contained in the cleaning product, including Internet Web sites where more information may be found.
AVFCA Position: Support (Click here to view AVFCA’s letter of support for SB258)
Current Status: Chaptered.
CA SB602 Pesticides: neonicotinoids: labeling (B. Allen)
http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=201720180SB602
Originally, this bill required labeling, as specified, of commercially available seeds and plants sold at retail establishments, excluding noxious weed seeds and plants, that have been treated with a neonicotinoid pesticide. The bill would specify that a violation of this requirement is not a crime but would constitute an unfair and unlawful business act or practice.
AVFCA Position: Support, with possible amendments (Click here to view AVFCA’s letter of support for SB602)
Current Status: Died (Gut and amended to different bill).
CA SB746 Pupil health: physical examinations (Portantino)
http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=201720180SB746
This bill specifically authorized Nurse Practitioners (NP), Naturopathic Doctors (ND), and Doctors of Chiropractic (DC) to perform Pre-performance Physical Examinations (PPE) for students participating in interscholastic sports. Current law does not specifically discriminate against the above-mentioned providers performing PPEs and these practitioners have been legally performing PPEs for 30 years. The need for this bill arises due to the omission of NPs, NDs and DCs from the list of providers included in the California education code. This omission creates confusion and leaves school districts uncertain as to their potential vulnerability when accepting exams from omitted practitioners.
AVFCA Position: Support (Click here to view AVFCA’s letter of support for SB746)
Current Status: Died (Gut and amended to different bill).
CA AB14 Political Reform Act of 1974: campaign disclosures (Gomez)
http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=201720180AB14
This bill would have contributed to the ongoing effort for transparency in campaign contributions. As our culture evolves, the avenues for contributing to campaigns and legislation evolves as well. Contributions come in a variety of forms as the spectrum of campaigning expands to alternative methods. Campaign expenditures can often mask the contributions of major campaign donors. AB14 more accurately defines the parameters of campaign contributors and qualifying campaign expenditures.
AVFCA Position: Support (Click here to view AVFCA’s letter of support for AB14)
Current Status: Died.
CA SB651 Initiative, referendum, and recall petitions: circulators (B. Allen)
http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=201720180SB651
This bill would have advanced the need for greater transparency in the initiative, referendum, and recall petition process. It will not impede the petitioning process nor impact the process fiscally. It solely calls for the disclosure of persons and/or entities funding the circulation of petitions in an effort to encourage transparency and choice for registered voters. Full disclosure of the financial contributors to any legislation needs to be present at every stage of the legislative process.
AVFCA Position: Support (Click here to view AVFCA’s letter of support for SB651)
Current Status: Died.
AVFC Opposed:
CA SB18/SCR41 Bill of Rights for the Children and Youth of California: joint legislative committee (Pan)
http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=201720180SB18 and http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=201720180SCR41
The bill request itself was benign, asking for the creation of a Joint Legislative Committee on Children and Youth, consisting of 9 Senators and 9 Assembly members, which will “develop “California’s Promise to its Children and Youth,” a framework for the care and welfare of the state’s children and youth in various contexts, including, but not limited to, health care, nutrition, homeless assistance, education, and foster care, to serve as an example to other states by raising the standard of living for California’s children and youth.” However, its intention is far from benign – in short, if passed, it would allow the state of California to create policy around what is in a child’s best interest, not the parent. While we all want kids to be safe and healthy, it is the parents decision, not the states, how to raise a child. It also has a sneaky and unusual language which would question the integrity of the legislative process and set dangerous precedent. For more info and flyers to share, please go to www.SB18.info
AVFCA Position: Opposes (Click here to view AVFCA’s letter of opposition for SB18 and SCR41)
Current Status: SB18 died. SCR41 could be referred to another committee at any time.
CA SB426 Community-based home visitation pilot program (Pan)
http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billHistoryClient.xhtml?bill_id=201720180SB426
The bill would have, only until January 1, 2022, established the Community-Based Home Visitation Program as a pilot program in no more than 3 counties representing a cross section of the state to provide child abuse and neglect prevention and intervention services to families through one family resource center located in each county. However, Legislative Counsel’s Digest indicates that “this bill would require particular focus on independently evaluated program models with regards to the office’s development of the proposed criteria for awarding the implementation grants in accordance with each plan’s addressing of these elements.” The SB426 Fact Sheet states SB426 “seeks to establish a pilot program to implement the Community Based Home Visitation Pilot Program based on the Sacramento County Birth & Beyond Family Resource Center model. This program, as modeled in the bill, utilized community members trained through AmeriCorps” (California Volunteers) “to deliver intensive home visitation services and outreach to families.” Additionally, “The Pilot Program to be established under SB 426 seeks to implement this model under three family resource centers around the state to test its effectiveness and scalability for long-term implementation as a statewide approach to home visitation”. For more info and flyers to share, please go to www.SB426.info
AVFCA Position: Opposes (Click here to view AVFCA’s letter of opposition for SB426).
Current Status: Died.
CA AB443 Optometry: scope of practice (Salas)
http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=201720180AB443
The bill revised the scope of the practice of optometry. In doing so, SEC. 2. Section 3041 (f) of the Business and Professions Code, would allow AB443 would grant optometrists the ability to administer vaccines for influenza, herpes zoster virus, and pneumococcus to adults. We are very concerned about this section of the bill as we do not believe these patients will be given adequate informed choice or that optometrists will have adequate medical history or be adequately trained in recognizing or responding to adverse effects of the vaccines. .
AVFCA Position: Opposes, unless amended to remove SEC. 2. Section 3041 (f) of the Business and Professions Code, thereby removing the section which would allow optometrists to administer vaccines in their practice. (Click here to view AVFCA’s letter of opposition for SB443).
Current Status: Chaptered.
CA SB649 Wireless Telecommunications Facilities (Hueso)
http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=201720180SB649
The bill would have put cell towers on every block in every neighborhood and countryside in California. SB 649 will deregulate the telecom industry. SB 649 will eliminate public input and local zoning authority with an over the counter permit process to install or modify cell towers. Cell antennas will hang in clusters on utility or light poles. Equipment cabinets the size of refrigerators, with cooling fans and back-up generators, will sit on sidewalks.
AVFCA Position: Opposes (Click here to view AVFCA’s letter of opposition for SB649).
Current Status: Vetoed by Govenor.
CA SB382 Pest control: mosquito abatement (Pan)
http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=201720180SB382
This bill would have created the California Mosquito Surveillance and Research Program Account, to be administered by the department, to fund California-based surveillance and research on mosquitoes. The bill would appropriate $2,000,000 from the General Fund to the account, thereby making an appropriation. The bill would require that $1,500,000 of that money be used to fund the California Vectorborne Disease Surveillance System, known as CalSurv, to perform specified functions. Section I, Chapter 2 2101 (b) (5) enables the California Mosquito Surveillance and Research Program, CalSurv, to “perform other duties as necessary to protect the public and agricultural health of the state.” The language in this section is broad and unnecessary, and leaves the door wide open for any and all abatement measures to be taken. Inclusion of broad language has the potential to result in far reaching implementation of policies outside the intent of this bill and may require future legislation to redefine the original role and intent of the program.
AVFCA Position: Opposed, unless amended to remove Section I, Chapter 2 2101 (b) 5. (Click here to view AVFCA’s letter requesting amendments for SB382)
Current Status: Died.
CA SB457 Out-of-Hospital Childbirths: physicians and surgeons: licensed midwives: certified nurse-midwives (Bates)
http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=201720180SB457
This bill would have significantly limiedt access to out-of-hospital maternity and reproductive healthcare. It would severely reduce the scope of practice for both Licensed Midwives and Certified Nurse-Midwives and would drastically restrict access to out-of-hospital maternity care for all families in CA. It would:
– Mandate women with potential risk factors who are planning an out-of-hospital birth must undergo a medical examination by an OB/GYN and seek their permission to remain under midwifery care. Midwives who continue to provide care without physician permission will be charged with unprofessional conduct.
– Deny out-of-hospital midwifery care to women who have had either a cesarean section or any other previous abdominal surgery, regardless of whether or not it presents additional risk for childbearing.
– Mandate women give birth in a hospital if they live more than 20 minutes from a hospital, and would strike down current law that gives Licensed Midwives the legal ability to obtain both routine and life-saving tests and medications.
– Strike down current law allowing Licensed Midwives and Certified Nurse Midwives practicing out-of-hospital to provide family planning services.
AVFCA Position: Opposed
Current Status: Died.
AVFC Watched:
CA AB1098 Child death investigations: review teams (McCarty and Arambula)
http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=201720180AB1098
This bill would have required each county in CA to develop a protocol to be used as a guideline by persons performing autopsies on children to assist coroners and other persons who perform autopsies in the identification of child abuse or neglect, in the determination of whether child abuse or neglect contributed to death or whether child abuse or neglect had occurred prior to but was not the actual cause of death, and in the proper written reporting procedures for child abuse or neglect, including the designation of the cause and mode of death. The bill would additionally require the protocol described above to include data collection, confidentiality, and reporting provisions. The bill would require that data collection process to include specified information about a deceased child including, among other things, race, age, and cause of death.
AVFCA Position: Watching, with requested amendments to include medical history in the data collection process (Click here to view AVFCA’s letter requesting amendments to AB1098)
Current Status: Died.
CA AB992 CalWORKs: Baby Wellness and Family Support Home Visiting Program (Arambula)
http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=201720180AB992
This bill would have established the Baby Wellness and Family Support Home Visiting Program that would require CalWORKS to develop and disseminate an informing notice to ensure that all assistance units, as specified, are aware of the program and their ability to participate. The bill would require the department, in consultation with specified persons and entities, to collect specified data and compile and distribute the data to the appropriate policy and fiscal committees of the Legislature by January 30 of each year. The bill would require counties to identify persons eligible for the program and invite them to participate in the program.
AVFCA Position: Watching, after it was amended to include our requested amendments to include specific opt-in letter and specification that declining services will have no negative impact (Click here to view AVFCA’s letter requesting amendments for AB992)
Current Status: Died.
CA AB1520 Lifting Children and Families Out of Poverty Act of 2017 (Burke)
http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=201720180AB1520
This bill would make legislative findings and declarations regarding child poverty in CA with the intent of the Legislature to move toward reducing child poverty in this state by 50% over a 20-year period. The bill would set forth certain programs, services, and expenditures that the Legislature should consider for purposes of making appropriations on an annual basis, except as specified. The bill would require the annual Budget Act passed by the Legislature to contain a statement specifying how expenditures in the Budget Act comply with the framework. This bill would also establish the Lifting Children and Families Out of Poverty Task Force, consisting of specified stakeholders, for purposes of researching, analyzing, and providing guidance to the Legislature in making appropriations pursuant to the framework and in supporting California’s efforts on lifetime wellness, self-sufficiency, and economic strength in families and communities throughout the state.
AVFCA Position: Watching, to ensure informed consent and transparency for health care and nutrition programs is safeguarded
Current Status: Chaptered.
CA SB562 The Healthy California Act (Lara and Atkins)
http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=201720180SB562
This bill, the Healthy California Act, would have created the Healthy California program to provide comprehensive universal single-payer health care coverage and a health care cost control system for the benefit of all residents of the state.
AVFCA Position: Watching, to ensure informed consent and transparency for health care (especially vaccination) and nutrition programs is safeguarded
Current Status: Died.
CA AB165 Privacy: electronic communications: exclusions: local educational agencies (Cooper)
http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=201720180AB165
This bill would have amended the Electronic Communications Privacy Act, which prohibits a government entity, as defined, from compelling the production of, or access to, electronic communication information or electronic device information, as defined, without a search warrant, wiretap order, order for electronic reader records, or subpoena issued pursuant to specified conditions, except for emergency situations, as defined. That law also specifies the conditions under which a government entity may access electronic device information by means of physical interaction or electronic communication with the device, such as pursuant to a search warrant, wiretap order, or consent of the owner of the device. AB165 would specify that a government entity could do the same for a device where the owner or authorized possessor of the device is a pupil enrolled in kindergarten through 12th grade when investigating alleged or suspected pupil misconduct pursuant to specified provisions.
AVFCA Position: Watching, to ensure student records, including medical records, are kept as private.
Current Status: Died.