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LEGISLATION COMMITTEE

Meeting Date:	04/02/2015
Subject: SB 277 (Pan): Public Health: Vaccinations
Submitted For:	LEGISLATION COMMITTEE
Department:	County Administrator
Referral No.:	2015-05
Referral Name:	SB 277 (Pan): Public Health: Vaccinations
Presenter:	L. DeLaney	Contact:	L. DeLaney, 925-335-1097

Information

Referral History:

This bill was referred to the Legislation Committee for consideration by Supervisor Mary N. Piepho.

Referral Update:

California is suffering from an outbreak of measles that, as of March 2, 2015, has sickened 131 people statewide, and sent 19 people to the hospital. Almost one quarter of those infected with measles are children younger than five. Last year, whooping cough (pertussis) struck over 11,000 Californians, killing three infants. As of February 12, 2013, California has recorded over 441 pertussis cases and one infant has died, who was less than three weeks old when sickened. Contra Costa has thus far seen one case of measles in 2015.

Both measles and pertussis are highly infectious and can cause serious complications, including death. Those most at risk are babies too young to get immunized and adults and children who, due to medical reasons including chemotherapy and auto-immune disorders, cannot get vaccinated. Both are preventable by the use of vaccines.

Experts and health officials attribute the return of these diseases to the falling rates of vaccination. Too many parents have chosen not to vaccinate their children due to misunderstanding of both the risks of vaccination and the seriousness of these preventable diseases, and not all adults are fully vaccinated. Those who decline to vaccinate are risking the health and lives of their children, neighbors and classmates. Data collected by the California Department of Public Health shows that many elementary schools in the County have measles vaccination rates well below 94 percent (the rate needed to prevent the spread of the virus), with some schools, both public and private, with rates below 50 percent.

Evidence from other states shows that that the best way to increase vaccination rates is to require immunizations for school attendance.

Therefore, staff recommends that the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors:

encourage all residents to ensure they are up to date with their immunizations; and
support and urge passage of SB 277 to eliminate the personal belief exemption in California Health & Safety Code section 120365 and to require vaccination for school attendance except for those exempted for medical reasons.

If enacted, California would join only two other states -- Mississippi and West Virginia -- that permit only medical exemptions as legitimate reasons to sidestep vaccinations.Currently, California is one of 19 states that allow exemptions based purely on parents' personal or religious beliefs.

The opposition to SB 277 has been increasingly vocal and has been showing up at County meetings to oppose resolutions about the bill. It has been a contentious issue where it has come up (Santa Cruz, Alameda, Berkeley City Council, a few school districts). Alameda County did vote to support the bill, however, as did Santa Cruz County. Santa Clara will also likely be sending a letter of support.

Introduced:	02/19/2015
Disposition:	Pending
Committee:	Senate Health Committee
Hearing:	04/08/2015 1:30 pm, John L. Burton Hearing Room (4203)

Recommendation(s)/Next Step(s):

CONSIDER recommending to the Board of Supervisors a position of "Support" on SB 277 (Pan) Public Health: Vaccinations, as recommended by Dr. William Walker.

Attachments
Attachment 1: Bill Text
Attachment 2: Mercury News Story