BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    



                                                                  AB 354
                                                                  Page  1

          Date of Hearing:   May 20, 2009 

                        ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
                                Kevin De Leon, Chair

                   AB 354 (Arambula) - As Amended:  April 28, 2009 

          Policy Committee:                              Health Vote:19-0 

          Urgency:     No                   State Mandated Local Program:  
          No     Reimbursable:              

           SUMMARY  

          This bill authorizes the California Department of Public Health  
          (DPH) to review recommendations of the federal Advisory  
          Committee on Immunization Practices, the American Academy of  
          Pediatrics, and the American Academy of Family Physicians and  
          adopt childhood immunization requirements accordingly. In  
          addition, this bill deletes several current law child age and  
          grade level references to provide DPH greater flexibility in  
          adopting future recommendations. 

           FISCAL EFFECT  

          Net savings to the extent this bill reduces future health costs  
          by increasing immunization efficacy and rates. For example if  
          DPH adopts a whooping cough vaccination for 7th graders, unknown  
          administrative costs to Medi-Cal and the State Department of  
          Education will accrue. 

          These relatively minor preventive costs are offset by major  
          savings to the extent vaccinations prevent a whooping cough  
          outbreak. According to DPH, Medi-Cal hospital charges were more  
          than $12 million (50% GF) during an outbreak in 2005. In  
          addition, DPH indicates additional costs accrued to state and  
          local health surveillance programs that are supported with GF. 

           COMMENTS  

           1)Rationale . This bill increases DPH authority and flexibility  
            with regard childhood immunization schedules. Childhood  
            vaccines provide protection against diseases such as measles,  
            polio, and tetanus. Many serious diseases are now at their  
            lowest levels in history, following decades of immunization.  








                                                                  AB 354
                                                                  Page  2

            This bill updates references of national clinical oversight  
            and recommendations regarding childhood immunization  
            schedules.   
           
          2)Related Legislation  .  AB 2580 (Arambula) in 2008 was similar  
            to this bill but also specifically required a 7th grade  
            whooping cough booster. AB 2580 was held on the Suspense File  
            of the Senate Appropriations Committee. 

           Analysis Prepared by  :    Mary Ader / APPR. / (916) 319-2081