SB 866 was not voted by the full Assembly on Monday
Support is wavering, Opposition is rising!
Call your Assembly Member and ask for a meeting TODAY
asking them to Oppose or Abstain on SB 866!
SB 866 was not voted on by the full Assembly yesterday. It is now on file to be voted on by the Assembly on Thursday, June 9. To not pass 38 Assembly Members need to oppose or abstain during the vote. There are 19 Republicans who are opposing, and our vote count estimates about 10 Democrat/Independent Assembly Members will also oppose/abstain. That leaves 9 Assembly Members we need to convince to hold off the bill. The general feeling in the Assembly is that Senator Wiener does not have the votes, but he is working the Assembly Members as much as we are. Keep the pressure on! It is working! Constituents have the most powerful voice, especially in an election year. Please call your Assembly Member’s district and capitol office and ask for a 15 minute meeting this week, asking them to oppose or abstain from SB 866 (details below).
SB 866 Minors: vaccine consent (Wiener) – 12 Year Old Minor Consent to Vaccination Without Parental Consent: Allows a minor 12 years of age or older to consent to a vaccine that is approved (EUA or fully approved) by the United States Food and Drug Administration and meets the recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) of the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (ACIP) without the consent of the parent or guardian of the minor. (https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202120220SB866
Take Action TODAY!
A note about asking legislators to abstain: Our goal is to defeat this bill. That is, to ensure there are not enough “Aye” votes. If a legislator votes “Noe” or does not record a vote (aka abstains), their effect is the same. The vaccine issue is a polarizing one and legislators, especially Democrat legislators, don’t want to vote against legislation that would put them on one side or another on this issue. So an abstention is just as helpful to stopping the bill from passing, as a “Noe” vote.
1) Right Now: Pick up your phone and call your Assembly Member’s local district and Capitol office (https://findyourrep.legislature.ca.gov/), and ask for a 15 minute meeting today or tomorrow, either via video conference or in person. Be sure to let them know you are a constituent. Ask for it to be with the legislator, and if that is not possible then with a staffer. If they do not have time this week, then let them know you would like to meet with them at a later dates, but ask them to vote NO or to ABSTAIN on SB 866. Be professional and rational when you call or have the meeting. Remember you are trying to get them to vote with you, so you want to build that relationship, not burn it.
Sample Script: “I am a constituent of Assembly Member XXXX. I am calling to ask the Assembly member to vote no or abstain on SB 866, which would allow minors to consent to vaccinations including the COVID vaccine. It is too broad and has not been amended to include guardrails to protect minors. It will result in unintended consequences. Would it be possible to meet with Assembly Member XXXX today or tomorrow to discuss my concerns?”
In the meeting or over the phone, if you wish to give more details, you can speak to the following issues:
– 12 year olds just do not have the mental capacity to make these types of decisions rationally.
– Ensure EUA vaccines are not included
– Ensure special needs students are excluded
– Ensure children are not compelled to get the vaccine with monetary or other rewards
2) Before June 9, 2022: Email the your Assembly Member, if you have not already done so: Go to: https://secure.everyaction.com/kYVtzmn21EWeTu-dJBB3ww2 A Voice for Choice Advocacy has made it easy for you to email your Assembly Member to ask them to Oppose or Abstain from SB 866. For legislators to read your email (and not assume it as a mass marketing campaign), it is important that your letter is personalized to your situation, so be sure to outline why you feel they should oppose SB 866 and related it to yourself and your family. A Voice for Choice Advocacy sent a detailed letter to all Assembly Members outlining our numerous concerns with the bill, and our requested amendments. You can read our letter here and use points from it, but please don’t copy it word for word: https://avoiceforchoiceadvocacy.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/AVFCA-SB866-Letter-of-Oppose-unless-Amended-Wiener-Pan-Asm.pdf
3) Forward this email to anyone who believes in parental rights. Share this email on social media: https://avoiceforchoiceadvocacy.org/action-alert-sb-866-assembly-floor/
Over the past 7 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.
Together we can make change happen!
C