4 Key Players in Passage of California Vaccination Law

In 2015, California passed a vaccination law that took a non-negotiable stance against parents who opted out of immunizing their children for reasons other than medical.

Although there was a lot of outrage regarding California's consideration of new, harsh restrictions on unvaccinated children, the bill was backed by many prominent Californian politicians and doctors.

Pediatrician and California Democratic state Sen. Richard Pan from Sacramento co-introduced the vaccination bill, in support of closing an immunization loophole.

"Years of anti-science, anti-vaccine misinformation have taken its toll on immunization rates to the point that the public is now endanger," Pan said in a statement according to CNN.

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"Children, pregnant women, seniors and people with cancer, organ transplants, and other conditions are counting on us to make sure science prevails," said Pan.

Despite immense public outcry, California Gov. Jerry Brown signed the strict vaccination bill into law anyway.

“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,” the governor's spokesman Evan Westrup told the Los Angeles Times.

San Diego Democratic Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez understood the rights of parents and their children at stake but still gave her support for the bill.

“While I respect the fundamental right to make that decision as a family,” Gonzalez said according to the Los Angeles Times. “We must balance that with the fact that none of us has the right to endanger others.”

Medical director of Stanford Health Care Clinic in Los Altos, Dr. Catherine Forest, was among the law's vocal supporters in the medical community.

“This isn't a question of personal choice,” Forest said according to the Los Angeles Times. “This is an obligation to society.”

VOTE NOW: Should Parents Have the Freedom Not to Vaccinate Their Children?

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