In this June 9, 2015 photo, Karman Willmer, left, and Shelby Messenger rally against SB 277, a California measure requiring schoolchildren to get vaccinated, outside the Capitol in Sacramento, Calif. Credit: Rich Pedroncelli - AP
by David Siders
Three years ago, in a relatively mild precursor to this year’s school vaccination bill, Gov. Jerry Brown signed legislation requiring parents to consult a health professional before declining vaccinations for their schoolchildren.
But he made a special case for people who objected on religious grounds.
In a signing statement at the time, Brown said he wanted the law administered in such a way that “parents are not overly burdened by its implementation,” and he directed his Department of Public Health to ensure “people whose religious beliefs preclude vaccinations” were exempt.
Three years later, the vaccine bill Brown signed Tuesday undoes that allowance and more, eliminating the state’s religious and personal belief exemptions altogether.
California will now have one of the strictest schoolchild vaccination laws in the country.
No comments:
Post a Comment