Ballot Argument Against Prop 54
    
Proposition 54 is bad for health care, bad for public safety and bad for education.  To understand why, you have to read the words of the initiative closely.  It begins by banning the gathering of information  “by race, ethnicity, color or national origin in the operation of public education, public contracting or public employment.”  Then it expands the ban to “any other state operations.”  The ban on gathering information is broad.  It includes “separating, sorting or organizing data by race, ethnicity, color or national origin.”  Amending the Constitution is a serious step that should not be taken lightly.  

It doesn’t make sense to ban information.  The data is used for very important purposes.  

? We use this information to identify groups at risk for infectious disease.  If there is an outbreak of disease in one group, we have to be able to identify and contain it before it spreads to the general population.

? The so-called “medical exemption” only allows doctors to keep racial or ethnic data on their patients, but it does not allow us to use population data to prevent diseases.   The California Academy of Family Physicians, the American Academy of Pediatrics, California Healthcare Association and the California Association of Public Hospitals all oppose Proposition 54.

? The data tell us that white women are diagnosed with breast cancer at a higher rate. Some Asian Americans are at higher risk for Hepatitis-B.  Latinos are most likely to die from complications of diabetes.  African Americans are most likely to die from heart disease.  This information saves lives.   The American Heart Association, Breast Cancer Action, the Latino Coalition for a Healthy California and more than 40 other health organizations oppose this initiative.

? The exemption for law enforcement is poorly written.  According to the Attorney General, the initiative will hurt efforts to prevent  “Hate Crimes.”   Under Proposition 54, the State Department of Justice could no longer require local police to collect data on victims and suspects.  That data can help solve crimes.  Law enforcement groups, the Anti-Defamation League, and the Asian Law Alliance oppose proposition 54.  

? The California Public School Accountability Act is designed to make sure that children reach standards of learning regardless of race or ethnicity.  Proposition 54 reduces accountability in our schools by letting school administrators off the hook when they fail to close the achievement gap.   The California State PTA, the California Teachers Association, the California Federation of Teachers, the University of California and State Superintendent of Schools Jack O’Connell all oppose this initiative.


It is already against the law in California to give preferential treatment in jobs, contracting and college admissions based on race or ethnicity.  We all want to live in a color-blind society.  But we won’t get there by banning information.   

Proposition 54 was rushed onto the ballot.  This Constitutional amendment is poorly written and threatens our health, safety and education.  

We urge you to vote NO on Proposition 54.
Jacqueline Jacobberger
President, League of Women Voters of California

John C. Lewin, M.D.
Chief Executive Officer, California Medical Association

Robert M. Pearl, M.D.
Kaiser Permanente





Ballot Rebuttal Against Proponent’s Argument on Proposition 54

    
We all want a color-blind society. But we also want health care we can count on.  The way Proposition 54 is written, it takes away information your doctor needs to fight the spread of disease and prevent illness.

Health information banned by Proposition 54 is currently used to fight cancer, heart disease, diabetes, the spread of infectious diseases, and other illnesses that affect all Californians in every part of the State.

Supporters of Proposition 54 claim that there is an exemption for “medical research subjects and patients."  But, there are dozens of ways we collect important health data not covered by this "exemption."  Data banned by Proposition 54 includes information from death and birth certificates, hospital and laboratory reports, and disease tracking tools such as the cancer registry.  Eliminating information will make it harder to stop preventable disease outbreaks, premature death, and disability.

That is why the California Medical Association, the American Heart Association, Breast Cancer Action, the California Primary Care Association, California Healthcare Association, the California Association of Family Physicians and 40 other leading health authorities oppose Proposition 54.

This initiative will not lead to a color-blind society, but it will endanger the health of every Californian.  Proposition 54 will make it unconstitutional to use information to save lives.

Who do you trust for information about your health?  The American Academy of Pediatrics or the paid political professionals who are selling this initiative?

Vote No on Proposition 54.  It is bad for our State, bad for our health.
Jacqueline Jacobberger
President, League of Women Voters of California

John C. Lewin, M.D.
Chief Executive Officer, California Medical Association

Molly Coye, M.D.,
Former Director, Department of Health Services, Wilson Administration