California Assembly Approves Controversial Vaccine Bill
SACRAMENTO (CBSLA.com/AP) — California's Assembly on Thursday approved a hotly contested bill requiring that nearly all public schoolchildren be vaccinated, clearing one of its last major legislative obstacles before the measure heads to the desk of Gov. Jerry Brown.
The bill aims to increase immunization rates after a measles outbreak linked to Disneyland in December sickened over 100 people in the U.S. and Mexico.
It would give California one of the nation's strictest vaccine laws by striking the state's personal belief exemption. Only children with serious health issues would be allowed to opt out of mandatory vaccine schedules. Unvaccinated children would need to be homeschooled. If the bill becomes law, California would join Mississippi and West Virginia as the only states with such strict requirements.
"Do we wait until we have a full-fledged crisis to protect the most vulnerable?" Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez, D-San Diego, asked as she presented the bill.
The measure passed on a bipartisan 46-30 vote after weeks of vocal opposition, with thousands of parents donning red shirts to protest at the Capitol. Two Republican assemblywomen joined the Democratic majority in support.
The bill's passage was a relief to Santa Monica father Yehuda Chatsky, who had his infant daughter vaccinated two weeks ago.
"It's simple -- if you don't vaccinate, it's dangerous," he said.
Santa Monica and LA's Westside is a hotspot of debate over mandatory vaccinations. Opponents of the legislation believe some vaccines are unsafe for some children, but medical studies that claim to show a link between vaccines and autism have been discredited or retracted.
Christina Hildebrand of the parents group A Voice for Choice, which strongly argued against the bill, told KNX 1070 NEWSRADIO is less about science and more about civil liberties.
"Realistically, this bill isn't about whether vaccinations are safe or not safe," said Hildebrand. "Our opposition is because it mandates vaccines, it takes away our children's fundamental right to an education."
Santa Monica pediatrician Dr. Jay Gordon also feels that the bill is flawed.
"From a doctor's point of view, I think that parents should participate in all discussions of all aspects of children's health care. And this law takes parents out of that completely," Dr. Gordon said.
The Senate already approved the bill once, but still must approve amendments before it is sent to Brown, a Democrat.
Brown has not said whether he would sign the bill authored by Democratic Sens. Richard Pan of Sacramento and Ben Allen of Santa Monica.
"The Governor believes that vaccinations are profoundly important and a major public health benefit and any bill that reaches his desk will be closely considered," spokesman Evan Westrup said in an email that repeated Brown's earlier statement.
Opponents of the vaccine bill have already taken out paperwork to recall at least two senators who voted for the proposal.
Sen. Bill Monning, D-Carmel, said Thursday that he and Pan have been targeted for recall. Monning said his district, which includes Santa Cruz, has a high number of parents who seek vaccine exemptions for their children and he has had to shut down his district office out of safety concerns.
Opposition was fierce during the Assembly debate. Both Democrats and Republicans spoke against the loss of parental autonomy.
"We do not have the right, nor should we have the power, to take away a parent's right to choose," said Assemblyman Devon Mathis, R-Visalia.
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