Senate Bill 20-163

Post date: Feb 22, 2020 10:57:39 PM

Jeffco PTA

Here's an updated list of our PTA Legislative Positions (for this 2020 Legislative Session, thus far). http://www.jcpta.org/pta-legislative-positions-2020/

Because of timing of the bill’s introduction, we weren’t able to include SB163 in the list, but PTA does support it (see below).

Why we support Senate Bill 20-163 School Entry Immunization http://leg.colorado.gov/bills/sb20-163

• Colorado’s vaccination rate for Kindergartners is one of the lowest in the nation.

• 63% or 545,216 of all students are without full protection from vaccine preventable disease.

• When it comes to our state’s protection against measles alone, Colorado has one of the lowest immunization rates in the nation at 87.4%

Senate Bill 20-163

• Creates a “vaccine-protected children standard, whereby the immunization rate goal for every school is 95% of the student population to be vaccinated.”

• Every school will be required to publish its immunization rate and exemption rate that will be annually distributed to parents, legal guardians, and students of the school.

• Requires the Dept. of Public Health and Environment to develop standardized forms and submission process...for claiming nonmedical exemption for religious or personal belief.

It’s important to note that Colorado PTA (& Jeffco PTA) take our positions on bills largely based on National PTA’s Resolutions, Positions or Legislative Platform. If NPTA has nothing to back up a position, even though many of us may be personally supportive or opposed to a bill, we are unable to take a position.

Our position on SB20-163 is supported by these National PTA Resolution Statements:

• NPTA - Resolution on Immunization of Preschool Children https://www.pta.org/home/advocacy/ptas-positions/Individual-PTA-Resolutions/Resolution-on-Immunization-of-Preschool-Children

• NPTA- Resolution on Measles Rubeola Mumps and Rubella Vaccinations https://www.pta.org/home/advocacy/ptas-positions/Individual-PTA-Resolutions/Resolution-on-Measles-Rubeola-Mumps-and-Rubella-Vaccinations

Join Jeffco PTA for an educational townhall event regarding the DeAngelis Center, Jeffco DeAngelis Center Foundation, and the PTA Crisis Response Team with Executive Director of the Jeffco DeAngelis Center Foundation, Kevin Carroll, and Executive Director of the Department of School Safety, John McDonald. This event will be held Wednesday, February 26, 2020 at the DeAngelis Center for Community Safety.

Colorado ranks number one in youth suicide. It’s time to take the steps to be proactive, join us in learning and potentially save lives. There is a $3 cost for materials; we have obtained sponsors to cover this but donations to help us continue this work are appreciated. Thank you to Westerra Credit Union for sponsoring this training!