PERK Secures Senator to Champion Landmark Legislation Restoring Personal Belief Exemptions for All Californians
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 21, 2025
PERK Secures Senator to Champion Landmark Legislation Restoring Personal Belief Exemptions and Medical Privacy for All Californians
Sacramento, CA — The fight for parental rights, religious liberty, and children’s access to education in California has taken a historic leap forward. On June 1, 2025, the Protection of the Educational Rights of Kids (PERK) announced it had secured the commitment of a California Democratic Senator to author and carry legislation that will:
Restore medical privacy.
Amend SB277 to restore personal belief exemptions for all Californians.
Amend SB276 to protect doctors who issue legitimate medical exemptions and safeguard children in need.
Introduce new protections through new legislation for religious freedom and ensure every child’s constitutional right to an education.
This breakthrough follows more than a year of strategic relationship-building that began with a simple introduction from a firefighter friend, Barry Arata, who shares PERK’s deep commitment to protecting children and future generations. In a confidential April 2025 meeting with PERK’s leadership, the Senator committed to championing the reversal of SB277 — the 10-year-old law that stripped away personal belief exemptions and forced hundreds of thousands of children out of classrooms. Since then, the Senator has reached out to fellow Democratic legislators to rally support for this long-overdue change.
A Decade of Harm Ends Here
For more than 10 years, SB277, SB276, and SB714 have:
Violated medical privacy.
Restricted legitimate medical exemptions.
Punished doctors for following their conscience and training.
Forced parents to choose between their deeply held beliefs and their child’s education.
These laws violate the First Amendment, deny access to public education guaranteed under the California Constitution, and perpetuate discrimination against children based on personal or religious beliefs. The result: families torn apart, careers ruined, medical privacy rights trampled, and children barred from learning alongside their peers.
From PERK’s President, Amy Bohn:
“This is one of the most pivotal moments in America for religious freedom, children’s rights, and parental rights. PERK has stood unwavering for our children, our doctors, and our families — fighting unconstitutional laws in the courts, in the Capitol, and in our communities. Now, with this bill, we are set to finish what we started. This is restitution. As our courageous Senator has said, this is about ‘righting the wrongs.”
A Victory with National Impact
If passed, this legislation will not only restore rights in California but also serve as a national precedent, inspiring lawmakers in other states to take similar action.
How You Can Help Right Now
This victory will only happen if we stand together. Here’s how you can help immediately:
Donate – Fuel the fight: donorbox.org/religiouslibertyforall
Sign the Letter – Tell Governor Newsom & legislators to we want and support this bill: bit.ly/religiouslibertyforallCA
Volunteer – Join PERK’s statewide advocacy teams: bit.ly/PERKvolunteerteams
About PERK
The Protection of the Educational Rights of Kids (PERK) is a California-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to defending medical freedom, bodily autonomy, religious rights, parental rights, and every child’s constitutional right to an education. With tens of thousands of members statewide, PERK leads one of the largest grassroots movements in California.
Contact:
PERK – Protection of the Educational Rights of Kids
3401 Grande Vista Dr., #723
Newbury Park, CA 91319
Email: info@perk-group.com | Website: www.perk-group.com