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California lawmakers are continuing to advance legislation that would require schools and childcare facilities to notify parents whenever student vaccination rates fall below thresholds established by the California Department of Public Health (CDPH).
AB 2651, known as the “Informed Parents, Healthy Schools Act,” has passed the California Assembly and the Senate Health Committee. It is now before the Senate Appropriations Committee. Californians must continue contacting lawmakers and urging them to OPPOSE this bill.
The bill still requires CDPH to establish vaccination thresholds for diseases subject to school and childcare vaccine mandates and authorizes the department to revise those thresholds “as needed.” Schools, preschools, daycares, and childcare providers would be required to distribute a CDPH-prepared notice to parents within 10 business days after being told that an institution’s rate falls below a state-established threshold.
The bill has been amended to exclude children with medical exemptions, certain independent-study students, and conditionally admitted children from the reported vaccination-rate calculation, and it directs CDPH to apply de-identification standards. These amendments do not resolve the broader concerns. The bill would still create school-by-school vaccine notices, expand CDPH’s authority to set and revise thresholds, and require notices that promote vaccination and direct families to vaccination resources.
Families should not be subjected to fear, blame, or social pressure based on vaccination rates at their child’s school or childcare facility.
WAPF continues to oppose AB 2651 because it expands government authority over vaccination messaging and risks fostering pressure, division, and discrimination within school communities.
The bill is moving. California lawmakers need to hear from constituents NOW.
TAKE ACTION
Contact members of the Senate Appropriations Committee and your California State Senator TODAY and ask them to OPPOSE AB 2651.
Find your California Senator here:
https://findyourrep.legislature.ca.gov
Senate Appropriations Committee members can be found here:
Phone calls are most effective. Respectful emails help too.
SAMPLE SCRIPT
“Hello, my name is ___ and I’m a constituent from ___. I’m calling to urge Senator ___ to continue to OPPOSE AB 2651.
This bill would require school-by-school vaccine-rate notices and give CDPH broad authority to establish and revise vaccination thresholds.
Although the bill has been amended to exclude certain children from the rate calculation and require de-identification safeguards, it would still promote fear and social pressure while expanding government-directed vaccination messaging in schools and childcare settings.
Please oppose AB 2651 and protect medical privacy, parental rights, and vulnerable children.
Thank you.”
TALKING POINTS
- School and childcare communities should not be subjected to fear, suspicion, or social pressure based on institution-level vaccination rates.
- The bill requires school-by-school and grade-level reporting. Even with de-identification safeguards, notices in small childcare settings may intensify scrutiny and division within families and communities.
- AB 2651 grants CDPH broad authority to establish and revise vaccination thresholds “as needed,” without requiring the Legislature to approve each threshold change.
- Public health policies should unite communities, not create environments that encourage parents to blame or pressure one another.
- The June amendments exclude children with medical exemptions, certain independent-study students, and conditionally admitted children from the vaccination-rate calculation, but they do not eliminate the bill’s broader coercive messaging concerns.
- The required notices would include government-approved explanations about disease transmission, vaccination locations, and links or QR codes directing parents to CDPH vaccination resources.
- California should prioritize protecting vulnerable children and supporting families rather than advancing policies that risk increasing fear, discrimination, and social division.
MORE INFORMATION
AB 2651 Bill Text and Status:
https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260AB2651
Current Status: AB 2651 passed the California Assembly on May 26, 2026. The bill was amended on June 25 and is currently before the Senate Appropriations Committee.
For additional information on informed consent and vaccine policy:
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