NEW BILLS TARGET YOUNG SCHOOLCHILDREN, DRIVERS.

Byline: STEVE GEISSINGER Sacramento Bureau

SACRAMENTO -- Even before the first legislative hearings on the measures, controversy is swirling around a bill that would require sixth-grade girls be vaccinated against a sexually-transmitted disease and another that would ban cell-phone use by young drivers.

Assemblywoman Sally Lieber, D-Mountain View, has authored a bill that mandates girls entering sixth grade be immunized against human papillomavirus (HPV), which is transmitted by sexual contact and causes cervical cancer.

New studies show that young females vaccinated against HPV have virtually no chance of being diagnosed with cervical cancer in the future. The cancer is primarily caused by lesions that form following infection with certain strains of HPV.

Parents could block the vaccination -- as they can other shots for school -- by citing religious beliefs or other concerns.

But the Campaign for Children and Families dislikes the bill.

``The vaccine to help prevent cervical cancer is promising,'' said Randy Thomasson, the group's president, ``but without risk-avoidance education, young girls are still being set up for broken promises and broken hearts.''

Meanwhile, the cell-phone legislation by Sen. Joe Simitian, D-Palo Alto, follows up on his successful measure last year requiring drivers to use hands-free cell-phone devices beginning July 1, 2008.

Prompted by concern that cell-phone use distracts drivers and contributes to accidents, the bill would ban young and novice motorists from using any cell phones while driving. It also would take effect July 1, 2008.

``It will save lives,'' Simitian said. ``No one would argue that just because we can't eliminate all the distractions affecting today's young drivers, we shouldn't eliminate the ones we can. This bill is about promoting road safety, plain and simple.''

But The Wireless Association, the cell-phone industry's Washington, D.C.-based representative, believes the bill is too narrow.

Association spokesman Joseph Farren cited a National Conference of State Legislatures study that showed crashes triggered by cell-phone use are eclipsed by accidents ``caused by many other distractions and general inattentiveness.''

As with Simitian's bill last year, critics also question law enforcement's ability to enforce it.

``Should the law go on the books, we'll enforce it like any other laws -- best as we can,'' said Jaime Coffee, a California Highway Patrol spokeswoman.

sgeissinger(at)langnewspapers.com

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