Considering the current status of SB 871, I would be very surprised if it passed through the legislature without a major overhaul. The law currently mandates that the state reimburse the medical costs of certain surgeries. While this may seem like a reasonable requirement, I believe that the law does not take into account the personal beliefs of the patients, and should instead be more flexible. Having said this, I hope the legislature will consider the bill’s importance, and make the necessary changes to help make it more accessible to the state’s residents.
COVID-19 cases in California have weakened support for the bill
Despite the fact that the FDA has approved COVID-19 vaccines for children, the vaccine is still under surveillance. A recent study revealed that unvaccinated adults have a whopping 11 times greater risk of dying from COVID-19 than fully vaccinated folks. However, this is a topic of discussion for another day. In short, the health care industry is a very complex one, and there is a lot of misinformation out there. Hopefully, the most credible information will prevail. Until then, we salute the FDA for their diligence and commitment to keeping Californians healthy.
The FDA has been on a heightened state of alert as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The FDA is keeping a close tab on the safety of COVID-19 vaccines and is making efforts to educate the public on the dangers of anti-vaccine zealotry. One of the most important things to do is enlist the help of those who have lived and breathed health care for years. If we do not, the health care industry could find itself in a tailspin.
Personal belief exemption
Currently, California law allows students to choose whether or not they wish to receive certain vaccines. This personal belief exemption is determined by the California Department of Public Health. However, Governor Gavin Newsom has announced plans to require students to receive certain vaccines.
Currently, California vaccination rates among children lag behind those of adults. The state’s vaccination rate for adults is 77.7%. As of Tuesday, the vaccination rate for kindergarten students in California was 95%. This is a significant increase from last year’s 92.8%.
This increased vaccination rate is due in part to the recent passage of State Bill 277, which removed religious and personal belief exemptions from vaccination requirements. However, the bill did not include a personal belief exemption for COVID-19, the vaccine for hepatitis B. It also eliminated the personal belief exemption for measles.
SB 871 builds on SB 277. It would eliminate the personal belief exemption for the COVID-19 vaccine, requiring all school students in California to receive the shot. Additionally, it would allow the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) to require unlimited boosters. This could mean that Covid-19 boosters would be required every few months, year after year.
Reimbursement of costs mandated by the state
During the 2021 Legislative Session, the Legislature passed a bill that would provide financial assistance to municipalities and other entities to help them implement programs relating to the Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Grant Program (EVIP). This program is administered by the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (DACS) and provides financial assistance to municipalities and other entities to promote the development of renewable energy and electric vehicle infrastructure. This program was developed to provide assistance to municipalities that wish to implement projects to help increase the number of electric vehicles in the state. This program is also linked to another bill that passed in the same session, SB 918.
In addition to providing financial assistance, the EVIP will provide the opportunity for municipalities and other entities to implement new energy-efficient programs. This is done through a variety of different methods, including a licensing tax on electric vehicles and a grant program that is designed to promote the development of new electric vehicles and charging stations.
Opposition/support letters to the legislature
Several state legislators have introduced legislation that would affect the status of SB 871. These bills would change the law relating to property taxes. Specifically, HB 71 would grant abatement of property taxes for certain conditions. It would also authorize municipalities to exempt public service taxes on electrical energy and building materials. This would apply retroactively to January 1, 2021.
In addition, several of these bills would prohibit state agencies from enforcing greenhouse gas emission regulations without the legislative authorization of the legislature. HB 463 (Melo) would prohibit state agencies from enforcing these regulations, whereas HB 561 (Goff-Marcil) would require the Department of Environmental Protection to administer an inspection program. These bills would also require the department to assess the efficacy of projects.
These bills would also require the department to provide financial assistance grants to municipal solid waste-to-energy facilities. This funding would be used to help fund projects that reduce emissions and improve energy efficiency.
