Calif. Forced Vaccine Bill Sparks Virulent Protests

A bill that would ban exemptions from childhood vaccines is advancing through the California legislature, despite fierce opposition from the public.

The measure would require schoolchildren in the state to be vaccinated. Parents would no longer be able to send unvaccinated children to school with waivers citing religious or personal beliefs.

The bill is now before the California Senate for debate. The push comes after an outbreak of measles that began at Disneyland back in December.

"We can't have people fearing to go outside, to go to their school, to go to the store, to get on public transport, to go to a theme park because they're afraid of catching a disease like measles," said state Sen. Richard Pan, author of the bill.

Pan said parents will still have a choice to not vaccinate their children; they'll just have to homeschool them if they choose that path.

Hundreds of opponents of the bill have rallied at the California Capitol and flooded legislative offices with phone calls, fighting for parental rights and characterizing the bill as an outrageous government overreach.

A few have posted images online that compare Sen. Pan to Adolf Hitler. And during a Senate hearing, one opponent threatened to ask God to curse legislative supporters.

But most vaccination foes have taken a more measured approach, highlighting potential risk factors and focusing on constitutional rights.

"I think forcing children to do anything is not right. I think a parent should be able to raise a child according to their beliefs," opponent Daniel Boring said.

"They could be stepping on their religious freedom. We do have a Constitution last time I checked that still honors that," another opponent said.

If the bill passes the legislature and is signed by the governor, California would join Mississippi and West Virginia as the only states with such strict vaccine rules.