Calif. Senate approves vaccination bill
By Alexei Koseff, Sacramento Bee
After a lengthy and contentious debate, the California Senate on Thursday approved a controversial proposal requiring vaccinations for nearly all California schoolchildren.
Senate Bill 277, which would make California only the third state in the country without religious and personal belief exemptions from vaccinations, passed 25-10. The vote followed mostly partisan lines, with the majority of support coming from Democrats. It now heads to a new round of hearings in the Assembly.
“Together we are turning the tide to stop communicable diseases before any more families are hurt,” Sen. Richard Pan, D-Sacramento, said after the vote. “By passing this bill, the Senate, in a bipartisan manner, has sent a strong message: Vaccines save lives. Every child has a right to a safe school.”