Vaccine Law Opponents Vow To Overturn Law With Referendum
SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — Opponents to a new California vaccination law have filed a referendum in hopes of overturning the rule removing the personal belief exemption.
Former assemblyman and Republican gubernatorial candidate Tim Donnelly filed the referendum. If petitioners gather more than 365,000 signatures, the measure will be placed on the November 2016 ballot. Also, the law scheduled to go into effect months before that election would be on hold until after the vote.
Donnelly says he's confident opponents will get the signatures and financing needed to get the word out, including stars like Jim Carrey, who took to Twitter to criticize the law.
Constitutional attorney Kevin Snider says Californians and the courts will have no say once the measure gets on the ballot. Then, voters have the ultimate authority over the legislature and the governor.
"It can't be challenged in court; the people have ultimate power, Supreme Court California or U.S. supreme court has no authority to review this," he said.
Donnelly lost to Neel Kashkari in the GOP gubernatorial primary in 2014.