2023 Legislation

Take Action on AB 659

AB 659 Cancer Prevention Act, as amended. (Aguiar-Curry) This bill would make it the public policy of the state that pupils are expected to be fully immunized against human papillomavirus (HPV) before admission or advancement to the 8th grade level of any private or public elementary or secondary school. It would also make HPV vaccination a condition of entrance to all California state public universities and colleges with no personal or religious belief exemptions available. The bill also expands insurance coverage for cervical cancer screening and HPV vaccination.

CURRENT STATUS: HEARING POSTPONED! Bill was amended again on March 21, 2023 and set for hearing in the Assembly Health Committee on March 28, 2023. On March 23, 2023, the hearing was postponed by the committee. No new hearing date.

LegislatorEmailCapitol Phone
Jim Wood (Chair)assemblymember.wood@assembly.ca.gov(916) 319-2002
Marie Waldronassemblymember.waldron@assembly.ca.gov(916) 319-2075
Cecilia Aguiar-Curryassemblymember.aguiar-curry@assembly.ca.gov(916) 319-2004
Joaquin Arambulaassemblymember.arambula@assembly.ca.gov(916) 319-2031
Tasha Boerner-Horvathassemblymember.boernerhorvath@assembly.ca.gov(916) 319-2077
Wendy Carrilloassemblymember.carrillo@assembly.ca.gov(916) 319-2052
Heath Flora 
assemblymember.flora@assembly.ca.gov916-319-2009
Vince Fongassemblymember.fong@assembly.ca.gov916-319-2032
Brian Maienscheinassemblymember.maienschein@assembly.ca.gov(916) 319-2076
Kevin McCartyassemblymember.mccarty@assembly.ca.gov(916) 319-2006
Joe Pattersonassemblymember.joepatterson@assembly.ca.gov916-319-2005
Freddie Rodriguezassemblymember.rodriguez@assembly.ca.gov(916) 319-2053
Miguel Santiagoassemblymember.santiago@assembly.ca.gov(916) 319-2054
Carlos Villapuduaassemblymember.villapudua@assembly.ca.gov(916) 319-2013
Akilah Weberassemblymember.aweber@assembly.ca.gov(916) 319-2079

urgent take action 3/23/23: contact assembly health committee members 

AB 659 was to be heard in the Assembly Health committee on Tuesday, March 28th, but has been postponed. 

Please take the following 3 actions:

1. Call the members of the committee to ask them to vote no or to abstain from voting.

Sample Script: “Hi. I’m calling because AB 659 is being heard in the Health Committee soon. I urge the member to vote no or abstain from voting on AB 659 because these types of state policies override the medical decisions of teens, parents, and adults and are coercive in nature."

2. Submit a new opposition statement through the legislative portal. Find instructions here.

3. Email the members of the committee to ask them to vote no or to abstain from voting. See talking points here.

Step 1. Set Up Meeting

Contact the district office and request meeting. If you do not know who your state representatives are, go to FindYourRep.Legislature.CA.Gov.

If asked what the meeting is about, feel free to state a general concern such as education, health, or the pandemic.

Do not be discouraged if you are offered a meeting with a staffer rather than your legislator, or if it is on zoom vs. in person. Staffers play an important role in the legislative process.

Step 2. Get to Know your Legislator

Read your representatives' bio on their website. What are their interests? What bills have they authored in the past? How have they voted on issues you care about?

Find a common interest in order to establish relatability.

Step 3. Prepare Documents to Take to Meeting
Create your own one page document with the top three concerns you have. Bullet points are helpful as legislators and staffers are dealing with hundreds of bills.

Step 4. Dress and Act Professionally
When meeting with legislators and staffers, the goal is to build positive relationships. This is easy to do if expressing views in polite and respectful ways.


Representatives and their staff are just ordinary people that are generally very personable and friendly.

TaKe Action 2:

Submit Your Opposition Letter to Policy Committees

Make sure that your position on this bill is heard and put on record by submitting you comments to the California Legislature Position Letter Portal.  (Watch Video Tutorial)

How to Submit Support/Opposition Letters:

  1. Complete a one-time registration to obtain a username and password. 
  2. Log in to submit your position letter/comment.
  3. Select measure type, measure number, and Session Type.
  4. Click on the “Search” button.
  5. Select the appropriate Committee.
  6. Select Your Stance.
  7. Input note message in the note box.
  8. Complete the Captcha and select the “Submit” button.

Comments will be shared with the appropriate policy committee members hearing the bill.

Sample Comment:

"I oppose AB 659 Cancer Prevention Act because these types of state policies seek to override the medical decisions of teens, parents, and adults and are coercive in nature. Some families have religious and conscientious reasons for declining the HPV vaccine. This bill would discriminate against those that hold such beliefs. Additionally, HPV is not spread through the casual contact that students have in a school setting."

You might add a personal experience or talking points outlined below.

Click to View PDF

CHCA AB 659 Opposition Letter



Talking Points for AB 659

Specific Ask: Oppose AB 659 or abstain from voting on the bill.

Main Talking Points

  1. HPV is a sexually transmitted disease and is not spread through the casual contact that students have in a school setting.
  2. Requiring the HPV vaccine for college admission might have a negative effect on enrollment and access to education. Approximately 30% of teens in California have not received the HPV vaccine, while those aged 18 - 26 who are not fully vaccinated for HPV is approximately 78%. We should not be placing additional constraints on access to education especially in light of declining enrollment in California institutions of higher education. 
  3. AB 659 would legislate the first ever vaccine requirement for enrollment in a California community colleges. In fact, the only vaccine requirement for higher education in law today is for the Hepatitis B vaccine and includes a beliefs exemption. The Hep B vaccine requirement does not apply to community colleges. 
  4. There has been a growing concern amongst parents regarding the safety of HPV vaccination. These concerns need to be addressed through education rather than mandating the vaccine.
  5. Some families have religious and conscientious reasons for declining the HPV vaccine. This bill would discriminate against those that hold such beliefs.
  6. Dozens of lawsuits have been filed against Merck regarding the HPV vaccine which they alone manufacture. The state should not be requiring a product with this amount of active litigation pending. 
  7. Medical decisions are best made by a patient in consultation with their healthcare practitioner where they can weigh the benefits and risks on an individual level. Whether it is an expectation, as in the case for 8th grade admission, or a requirement, in the case of college admission, these state policies override the medical decisions of teens, parents, and adults and are coercive in nature.

California Organizations Raise Serious Concerns
About AB 659 Cancer Prevention Act

Download and Print to Share with Your Legislators



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