Strict vaccination law advances in California
Emotional testimony precedes passage by panel
SACRAMENTO, Calif. – California lawmakers on Tuesday advanced a hotly contested bill that would impose one of the strictest vaccination laws in the country, after five hours of highly emotional testimony that brought hundreds of opponents to the Capitol.
SB277 is intended to boost vaccination rates after a measles outbreak at Disneyland that sickened more than 100 in the U.S. and Mexico. It has prompted the most contentious legislative debate of the year with thousands of opponents taking to social media and legislative hearings to protest the legislation.
The Assembly Health Committee approved the legislation 12-6 Tuesday evening with one lawmaker abstaining, sending it to the full Assembly for its final legislative hurdle.
If the bill becomes law, California would join Mississippi and West Virginia as the only states with such strict requirements.
The bill, sponsored by Democratic Sens. Richard Pan of Sacramento and Ben Allen of Santa Monica, would only allow children with serious health problems to opt out of school-mandated vaccinations. School-age children who remain unvaccinated would need to be home-schooled.
It would apply to elementary schools, secondary schools and day care centers.
Hundreds of passionate opponents descended on the Capitol on Tuesday, and parents spilled into the hallways as they waited hours to testify. One woman was removed from the committee hearing after shouting at lawmakers.
The bill’s supporters sought to dispel claims that measles no longer poses a threat, while a larger number of critics focused on feared risks associated with vaccines and told lawmakers the proposal was an unnecessary government overreach.