Bill Name: Health

Bill Number: AB-144

Bill Author(s): Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review

Legislative Session / Year: 2025

State: California

AVFCA Position: Oppose

Bill Synopsis: This Budget Trailer bill centralizes vaccine policy authority within the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), giving it significant power to modify, supplement, and update immunization recommendations without going through standard rulemaking processes. Specifically, it allows the CDPH to establish baseline immunization recommendations based on national guidelines from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), and the Health Resources and Services Administration, and then modify or supplement these recommendations at its discretion. The process for doing so is exempt from formal rulemaking procedures, potentially reducing transparency and public input.

Furthermore, AB-144 mandates that CDPH publish these recommendations, updates, modifications, and files them with the Secretary of State and in the California Code of Regulations, while limiting oversight and public review, in turn bypassing the usual administrative process. This centralization grants the CDPH broad authority to set, alter, and control vaccine schedules and policies independent of legislative or public scrutiny, which could lead to additional policies that are disconnected from the standard legislative process while impacting the health decisions of local families and individuals.

It's imperative to oppose this shift because it consolidates vaccine decision-making within a single agency, reduces transparency, public accountability, and opportunities for stakeholder input in critical public health policies related to immunizations.

Effective Date if Passed: 01/07/2026