Home California Senators to Introduce Legislation to End California’s Vaccine Exemption Loophole

Senators to Introduce Legislation to End California’s Vaccine Exemption Loophole

by ECT

SACRAMENTODr. Richard Pan, a pediatrician and Senator representing Sacramento and Senator Ben Allen, the former Board President of the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District will introduce legislation that will repeal the personal belief exemption that currently allows parents to effectively opt their child out of vaccines in our schools.

“As a pediatrician, I’ve been worried about the anti-vaccination trend for a long time,” said Dr. Richard Pan, a State Senator representing Sacramento. “I’ve personally witnessed the suffering caused by these preventable diseases and I am very grateful to the many parents that are now speaking up and letting us know that our current laws don’t protect their kids.”

“The high number of unvaccinated students is jeopardizing public health not only in schools but in the broader community.  We need to take steps to keep our schools safe and our students healthy,” said Senator Ben Allen.

“Here in California, we are currently suffering from yet another epidemic of whooping cough, and now an outbreak of measles – both are completely preventable,” said Leah Russin a mother from Palo Alto. “My husband and I worry our son will get sick if we put him in daycare – many day cares in my area have vaccination rates well below what’s necessary to protect the community.”

Under California’s personal belief exemption, a parent may choose to opt their child out of school vaccine requirements that bi-partisan legislative majorities passed to protect students. Under a measure authored by Dr. Pan in 2012, parents who exempt a child from school vaccinations must first talk with a licensed health care practitioner about the impacts to their child and community. In the first year the state law was implemented, 20 percent fewer parents used the personal belief exemption.  However, in many communities across the state, over 10 percent of parents are using California’s personal belief exemption.

When a contagion spreads in a community with immunization rates below 90 percent, the protection provided by ‘’herd immunity’ can be at risk. This means many people are at risk of becoming infected including people who cannot be immunized, including infants, chemotherapy patients and those with HIV or other conditions;

Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez who represents San Diego and has signed on as an early co-author of the measure said, “As a mother, I know the decisions we make about our children’s healthcare are deeply personal.  And, while I respect that fundamental right to make medical decisions for your own family, a parent’s decision to ignore science and medical facts puts other children at risk. We as a state can’t condone that.”

If this legislation is passed, California will join thirty-two other states that don’t allow parents to opt out of vaccination requirements using a personal belief exemption.

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3 comments

Jen Feb 5, 2015 - 1:52 pm

If Leah Russin from Palo Alto is so worried her son will get sick because OTHER kids aren’t vaccinated, why doesn’t she just go get HER kid vaccinated? If she really believes vaccinations are protective. But maybe vac’s are too risky for HER kid but good enough for yours.

Joe the North Clayton Resident Feb 5, 2015 - 10:43 pm

Jen, I believe you misread the article. The article ECT “cut and paste” isn’t the entire story. Leah Russin is pro vaccination and believes all kids should have their shots before entering schools.

Jen Feb 7, 2015 - 12:14 pm

I was just commenting on Russin’s quote here, “I worry our son will get sick if we put him in daycare.” If she really got her son vaccinated, and she believes it’s effective, why is she worried? She’s entitled to her personal beliefs, but not entitled to force it on parents who don’t share her beliefs. By the way, Senator Pan received campaign contributions from Merck, he is deeply involved with the pharmaceutical lobby, and Russin is not just a worried mom, she’s a wealthy Palo Alto lawyer with obvious political connections. I am questioning their motivations because I don’t necessarily believe in the altruism of politicians and lawyers. And I’m actually not for or against vaccinations, I am questioning the need for government coercion.

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