Vaccine bill goes to governor
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California lawmakers have sent Gov. Gavin Newsom changes he demanded as a condition of signing a controversial bill that cracks down on medical exemptions for vaccines.
Gov. Gavin Newsom sought the changes as a condition of signing previously approved legislation intended to crack down on doctors who sell fraudulent medical exemptions.
The Assembly approved the measure with a 43-14 vote and the Senate also approved the measure.
However, Senate action was delayed for more than 90 minutes as protesters pounded on the walls and door, unfurled an upside-down American flag from the public gallery in a traditional signal of distress, and chanted “My kids, my choice” and “We will not comply.”
An apparent counter-protester unfurled a black banner reading: “We the People v. the Vaccine Extremists.”
The two bills are needed “so we can keep children safe from preventable diseases,” Democratic Assemblyman Jim Wood of Santa Rosa.
Republican Assemblyman Devon Mathis of Visalia objected that there were no committee hearings on the last-minute bill.
“This goes past vaccines and is again a major government overreach,” Mathis said, adding that, “Our medically fragile children are what are at stake.”
Newsom demanded a phase-out period for medical exemptions similar to one allowed when California eliminated personal belief vaccine exemptions in 2015. A kindergartener with an exemption could retain it through 6th grade, for instance, while a 7th grader could be exempted through high school.
The companion bill also would allow officials to revoke any medical exemptions written by a doctor who has faced disciplinary action.
The bill would make it clear that enforcement will start next year, meaning doctors who previously granted a high number of medical exemptions won’t face scrutiny.
Several opponents of the bill, including
two women who briefly chained themselves to an outside doorway, were detained before the legislative session as they blocked entrances to the Capitol.
About 200 others filled the hallway in front of the governor’s office, asking Newsom to veto both vaccine bills.
One woman sobbed in the gallery as senators caucused before voting on the bill, while another sang “We Shall Overcome.”
About 200 opponents earlier filled the hallway in front of the governor’s office, asking Newsom to veto both vaccine bills. They later chanted “Where is Newsom?” and “Veto the bill” from the Senate gallery before leaving when they were threatened with being arrested for an unlawful protest.
They returned to the Assembly, where they continued shouting “Kill the bill” and “Protect our children” as lawmakers considered other legislation. OTHER BILLS — Gun violence: Several bills seek to expand California’s rules governing gun violence restraining orders. We’re also closely watching a gun control bill that would ban the sale of semiautomatic weapons to anyone under the age of 21.
— Rent control: There’s agreement on a sweeping bill to impose new rules on rent hikes across the state, but key to the issue might be whether reaction to how it will actually work heads off potential new fights over rent control next year in the Legislature or the ballot box.
— The Trump environmental backstop: There remains some real uncertainty about the fate of Senate Bill 1, an attempt by Atkins to ensure current federal environmental rules are enforced by the state in the event the administration of President Trump rolls any of them back. SB 1 is now ensnared in the long California fight over water policy. — What else? Bills on immigration, on workplace sexual harassment and even a surprisingly strong effort to lower the voting age in California to 17. Some of these could go down to the wire, and end-of-session dramas — where Capitol watchers try to fill the time during long private caucus meetings — are common.