Gov. Brown Signs Strict Vaccine Legislation For California Schools
SACRAMENTO (CBS/AP) — The governor of California has signed a contentious bill to impose one of the strictest school vaccination laws in the country.
Democratic Gov. Jerry Brown says in a statement Tuesday that science clearly shows vaccines dramatically protect children against infectious diseases.
The bill strikes California's personal belief exemption for immunizations, requiring nearly all public school children to be vaccinated. While medical exemptions would still be granted to children with serious health issues, other unvaccinated children would need to be homeschooled.
"The science is clear that vaccines dramatically protect children against a number of infections and dangerous diseases," Brown said in a statement. "While it's true no medical intervention is without risk, the evidence show that immunization powerfully benefits and protects the community."
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SB 277 was introduced after an outbreak of measles at Disneyland in December infected over 100 people in the U.S. and Mexico.
California joins Mississippi and West Virginia as the only states with such strict requirements.
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