BILL ANALYSIS �
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|SENATE RULES COMMITTEE | AB 2009|
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THIRD READING
Bill No: AB 2009
Author: Galgiani (D)
Amended: 6/20/12 in Senate
Vote: 21
SENATE HEALTH COMMITTEE : 7-0, 6/13/12
AYES: Hernandez, Harman, Alquist, Anderson, DeSaulnier,
Rubio, Wolk
NO VOTE RECORDED: Blakeslee, De Le�n
SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE : Senate Rule 28.8
ASSEMBLY FLOOR : 73-0, 5/10/12 (Consent) - See last page
for vote
SUBJECT : Communicable disease: vaccinations
SOURCE : Author
DIGEST : This bill removes references to specific groups
of people who shall have priority for the state
administered influenza (flu) vaccines and updates it with
the recommendations from the federal Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention's Advisory Committee on Immunization
Practices.
ANALYSIS : Existing law:
1.Establishes the Immunization Branch within the Department
of Public Health (DPH) to provide leadership and support
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to public and private sector efforts to protect the
population against vaccine-preventable diseases.
2.Requires DPH to provide appropriate flu vaccine to local
government or private, nonprofit agencies at no charge in
order that the agencies may provide the vaccine at a
minimal cost, at accessible locations, and in order of
priority, first for all person 60 years of age or older
and then to any other high-risk groups identified by the
United States Public Health Service.
3.Requires that administration of the flu vaccine be
performed by a physician, a registered nurse, or a
licensed vocational nurse acting within the scope of
their professional practice acts, and requires that a
registered nurse or licensed vocational nurse demonstrate
satisfactory familiarity with specified immunization
procedures to a supervising physician.
4.Permits physicians, nurses, physician assistants, medical
assistants, and pharmacists to administer immunizations
under specified circumstances.
This bill removes references to specific groups of people
who shall have priority for the state administered flu
vaccines and updates it with the recommendations from the
federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's
Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices.
Background
Flu vaccination program for older adults. California's
program, which would be amended by this bill, was designed
to use voluntary assistance from public or private sectors
in administering flu vaccines. DPH provides participating
local governmental or private nonprofit agencies flu
vaccine at no charge in order for the agencies to provide
the vaccine for no more than two dollars per person to
offset administrative costs. Agencies are tasked with
providing flu vaccine to individuals in all high-risk
groups, but first to those who are 60 years and older.
According to DPH, over the last decade, the pattern of flu
vaccine administration under this program has shifted
toward younger people: for example, in the 2000-01 season
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vaccine was administered to 15,456 people ages 18 years and
less, 146,722 people ages 19 to 59 years, and 546,047
people of age 60 or greater; by contrast, in the 2010-11
season, vaccine was administered to 121,675 people aged
less than 18 years, 315,512 people aged 19-59 years, and
165,243 people of age 60 or greater. DPH indicates that
the increase in the number of individuals under the age of
60 who have received the flu vaccine is consistent with the
expansion in age groups prioritized in federal
recommendations to be immunized against influenza in the
last decade.
FISCAL EFFECT : Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: Yes
Local: Yes
SUPPORT : (Verified 7/3/12)
American Academy of Pediatrics California
American Federation of State, County and Municipal
Employees
California Academy of Family Physicians
California Pharmacists Association
California School Employees Association
California School Health Centers Association
California School Nurses Association
California Senior Legislature
California State PTA
Greater Los Angeles African American Chamber of Commerce
MedImmune
Service Employees International Union California
ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT : The American Academy of Pediatrics
indicates that children have a higher rate of influenza
infection than any other age group, are more contagious
than adults, and often spread the disease to vulnerable
groups including the elderly and infants, who are too young
to receive the vaccine. The California Academy of Family
Physicians states that unvaccinated children can contract
and spread dangerous or life-threatening diseases and
lessen the effect of "herd immunizations" in the population
as a whole. The California School Nurses Association adds
that for many school-aged children, seasonal influenza is a
yearly occurrence that causes school absences that
interfere with learning and the loss of work days for their
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parents/guardians; it is also not unusual for children to
return to school early and spread the virus to their
friends, teachers, and staff. The California State PTA and
the Greater Los Angeles African American Chamber of
Commerce concur that seasonal flu in children can cause
absenteeism from school and impair learning, and ultimately
impact the entire community by disrupting work and child
care arrangements. MedImmune states that the requirement to
prioritize free flu vaccine for seniors in California was
added in the 1970s when Medicare did not cover flu vaccines
and the vaccine was not as readily available to seniors at
their local pharmacy or physician's office, but that now,
seniors are able to obtain a free flu vaccine fairly easily
while children do not always have the same coverage options
and as seniors and can benefit from free flu vaccine
administered by a school nurse or a clinic organized by
their local health department. The American Federation of
State, County and Municipal Employees adds that this bill
would align California's prioritization of flu vaccine
administration with recommendations from ACIP.
ASSEMBLY FLOOR : 73-0, 5/10/12
AYES: Achadjian, Alejo, Allen, Ammiano, Atkins, Beall,
Bill Berryhill, Block, Blumenfield, Bonilla, Bradford,
Brownley, Buchanan, Butler, Charles Calderon, Campos,
Carter, Cedillo, Chesbro, Conway, Davis, Dickinson,
Donnelly, Eng, Feuer, Fong, Fuentes, Beth Gaines,
Galgiani, Garrick, Gatto, Gordon, Gorell, Grove, Hagman,
Halderman, Hall, Harkey, Hayashi, Roger Hern�ndez, Hill,
Huber, Hueso, Huffman, Jones, Knight, Lara, Logue, Bonnie
Lowenthal, Ma, Mansoor, Mendoza, Miller, Mitchell,
Monning, Morrell, Nestande, Nielsen, Pan, Perea,
Portantino, Silva, Skinner, Smyth, Solorio, Swanson,
Torres, Valadao, Wagner, Wieckowski, Williams, Yamada,
John A. P�rez
NO VOTE RECORDED: Cook, Fletcher, Furutani, Jeffries,
Norby, Olsen, V. Manuel P�rez
CTW:nl 7/3/12 Senate Floor Analyses
SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: SEE ABOVE
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