California ends personal belief, religious exemptions for vaccinating school children

Vaccination Needle
(Image credit: Scott Barbour/Getty Images)

The California Assembly has passed Senate Bill 277, which would require school children to be fully vaccinated by ending exemptions based on personal belief or religion. Unvaccinated children will be required to be taught at home or enrolled in a private homeschooling group. The bill passed 25-10 in the Senate in May, and was passed by a smaller margin of 46-30 today in the Assembly. The bill will go next to the Senate for a vote on amendments added by the Assembly before it lands on Gov. Jerry Brown's desk for a decision.

A measles outbreak that was traced to Disneyland sickened more than 100 people and was the impetus for the bill.

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Jeva Lange

Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.