California Lawmakers Advance Tougher Vaccine Rules
SACRAMENTO (AP) - California lawmakers have advanced tougher rules for vaccinations even as opponents shouted "we will not comply" from the Senate gallery.
Senators sent the bill to the Assembly on Wednesday as the nation struggles to stem the highest number of measles cases in decades.
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The bill gives state public health officials instead of local doctors the power to decide which children can skip their shots before attending school.
Democratic Sen. Richard Pan of Sacramento says his bill is needed because some doctors have been selling medical exemptions since the state ended non-medical immunization exemptions in 2016.
Opponents say the bill interferes with the doctor-patient relationship. Some say disciplining doctors should be left to the state medical board.
It passed on a 24-10 vote.
Copyright 2019 The Associated Press.