Why PERK Supports SB 1377
Immunizations: Medical Exemptions
Medical Exemption Protection Bill
Dear PERK Members,
PERK is proud to support SB 1377 because this bill is vital to health freedom, children’s access to education, and solves the devastation California families have experience for more than 7 years related to medical exemptions. This is our moment together! It’s about whether parents, patients, and physicians in California will be treated fairly when a legitimate medical exemption is necessary.
For years, families have watched valid medical exemptions become vulnerable to scrutiny, penalties, revocations, discrimination, and unequal treatment. SB-1377 moves in the right direction by setting clear standards: doctors cannot be targeted unless there is actual fraud or invalidity, students cannot be shut out of school opportunities, and families cannot be punished by insurers or denied medically necessary care.
Government agencies could not override a duly issued medical exemption without a final court order supported by clear and convincing evidence of fraud.
What SB 1377 Does
Restores physician discretion by allowing licensed doctors to issue medical exemptions using accepted standards of care when immunization is not safe for a child.
Protects physicians from investigation, discipline, audits, and targeting unless a medical exemption is proven fraudulent or invalid.
Prevents state and local agencies from revoking or conditioning a medical exemption without a court order and clear evidence of fraud.
Protects students from losing access to school, education, and equal participation because of a valid medical exemption.
Protects families from insurance penalties and patients from denial of medically necessary care based on exemption status.
Safeguards privacy by prohibiting schools from demanding diagnosis details and limiting disclosure of exemption records without written consent or court order.
Why PERK This a Landmark Moment
As an organization, we began our work during the height of SB 277 and SB 276 (which took away almost all medical exemptions and punished doctors.) As one of the founders of PERK, my life mission intertwined with this mission needed in California. I’ve dedicated more than seven years to protecting health freedom, children, and parental rights through our non-profit. We’ve heard your pleas, your stories, and your cries for help. This is a landmark moment!
SB 1377 does not just recognize the existence of medical exemptions. It builds real protections around them. This is why we are calling it The Medical Exemption Protection Bill. The bill would protect students, preserve access to education, protect doctor decision-making, stop unrelated investigations from being weaponized, and create clear due process before the government can interfere with a valid exemption.
That matters because families should not have to fear educational exclusion, insurance retaliation, privacy violations, or denial of care when a child has a legitimate medical need. In plain terms, SB 1377 aims to replace uncertainty and punishment with fairness, due process, and respect for individualized medical judgment.
Key Protections at a Glance
This Is a Major Bill for California Families.
SB 1377 would strengthen medical exemption protections by restoring physician judgment, protecting students and families from discrimination, safeguarding privacy, and limiting agency overreach. It also requires the California Department of Public Health to conform regulations to the law by July 1, 2027.
Bill Status SB 1377 (Jones). The bill is currently in the rules committee which will determine the committees the bill will go to next. At the right moment, we will ask you to contact your California legislators, committee, and ask them to support this bill, and share why physician judgment, family privacy, due process, and access to education and care matter. This is the kind of policy that protects children and treats families with fairness.
Take Action and Join PERK’s California Medical Freedom Coalition
We already have 30+ organizations, 500 Californians, including doctors. Join us in the effort to get SB 1377 passed each step of the way.
Please consider donating to help us have the resources we need. Imagine what we can accomplish with your help! We are diligently fighting for you!
Sincerely,
Amy Bohn