How IPA’s Request for a Senate Hearing Came Together

On June 1, 2026, Informed Policy Advocates submitted a written request to the chair and members of the California Senate Health Committee for an informational hearing on the state’s school vaccine medical exemption system.

The request followed years of research, legislative meetings, and conversations with affected families and physicians. No hearing date has been announced. IPA continues to advocate for one.

The work began in 2019

Darrlene Alquiza, Kris Dukes, and Jessica Cabrera began working together on California legislation and policy in 2019 when they cofounded PERK and served as its executive directors. Together, they made up PERK’s policy and legislative team.

They worked directly with a registered lobbyist to develop a strategy that included an informational hearing as a first step toward legislative change. Darrlene wrote the team’s white papers with help from Jessica and Kris. Kris gathered data and worked with subject matter experts to create informational graphics. Jessica worked with firefighters to conduct their survey and with veterans to gather information for legislators.

The team continues as Informed Policy Advocates

In 2025, Darrlene, Kris, and Jessica established Informed Policy Advocates. Drawing on their years of research, knowledge of California policy, and relationships with lawmakers, they refined their legislative strategy and policy proposals.

IPA continued working with the reputable registered lobbyists of the Sheehy Strategy Group and presented its request for an informational hearing in 2025, to then Senate Health Committee Chair, Senator Caroline Menjivar.

In April, 2026, Senator Menjivar publicly acknowledged IPA’s request for an informational hearing, passing on the request made by her constituent, Jessica Cabrera, to this year’s Health Committee’s Chair, Dr. Akilah Weber.

IPA’s June 1, 2026 written request to the California Senate Health Committee.

As a follow up, IPA publicly submitted a formal written request to the chair and members of the Senate Health Committee on June 1, 2026. IPA also launched a public action campaign inviting Californians to send messages to the committee in support of the request.

What we want lawmakers to examine

Senate Bills 276 and 714, enacted in 2019, changed how California issues and reviews school vaccine medical exemptions. Physicians issue exemptions through a statewide system, and the California Department of Public Health has authority to review and, in certain circumstances, revoke them.

IPA has heard from families who say the current process has made it difficult to obtain an exemption they believe their child medically needs. A hearing would allow lawmakers to consider those experiences alongside testimony from physicians, public health officials, subject matter experts, and other stakeholders.

IPA’s request asks the committee to examine:

Whether children with legitimate medical needs can obtain exemptions in a timely and consistent manner.
How the process affects families and physicians making individual medical decisions.
How the state reviews exemptions, communicates decisions, and handles appeals.
What state data shows about exemption requests, reviews, revocations, and outcomes.
Whether changes to the law or its administration could address problems identified at the hearing while protecting public health.

An informational hearing would allow legislators to ask questions and establish a clearer public record. The hearing itself would not change the law.

The request remains active

Our team continues to work with Senate Health Committee members and registered lobbying professionals to advocate for a balanced public examination of the school vaccine medical exemption system.

Families and physicians deserve an opportunity to have their experiences considered alongside state data and an account of how the exemption system operates in practice.

You can support this effort by sending a message to the committee and sharing the campaign with others

IPAaction.com