Governor signs Wolk bill for statewide immunization registry

Bill ensures that children get immunizations to protect them from infectious disease

SACRAMENTO–Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger today signed legislation by Assemblywoman Lois Wolk (D-Davis) to consolidate state immunization records into a statewide system that will cover all of California’s children, reducing the risk of disease, hospitalization and lost time from school and work.

Assembly Bill 576 will ensure that more children are immunized by making it easier for health care providers to retrieve immunization records regardless of whether a child moves, changes physicians, or loses his or her health records by consolidating existing registries into the Statewide Immunization Information System (SIIS), streamlining information sharing. Currently, there are nine regional immunization registries which cover 53 of the 58 counties.

“We know that childhood vaccinations save lives, but there are gaps in our current immunization system that lead to some children needlessly receiving extra injections, while others go unprotected,” said Wolk. “Incomplete immunization records have led to one in five two year olds being left vulnerable to fatal diseases, and one in five children receiving at least one unneeded immunization by the time he or she is three years old. This consolidated system will help protect children by making sure they get all of their shots, and get them on time.”

According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, California ranked 33rd in the nation for the percent of immunized children ages 19 months to three years.

“As a parent, I know it is hard for parents to keep track of the up to 20 different shots children require before entering child care, preschool or kindergarten,” said Wolk. “But for families who frequently move or change health plans, for lower income families, and for the uninsured, it is even more complicated.”

AB 576 requires the Department of Health Services (DHS) to maintain the registry as well as developing a sustainability plan to expand the registry to include all of California’s children.  The First 5 California Children and Families Commission has provided the $3.6 million in funding required to integrate current immunization registries and databases, which is scheduled to be complete by December 2007.  Once the registry is consolidated, it is estimated that the annual savings will be over $32 million to the Department of Health Services and $18 million for private health care providers.  

AB 576, which will take effect January 1, 2007, passed both the Assembly and Senate on unanimous, bipartisan votes.

The bill is part of a national effort to reach a goal of having 90% of all children in the country up-to-date with their required immunizations by 2010, with all 50 states working to establish Immunization Registry systems.