California Bill to Scrap Vaccine Exemption Moves Forward

The California senate has passed a bill that could help ensure that parents vaccinate their children, months after a measles outbreak in the state linked to low vaccination rates.

The bill, which passed the senate 25 to 10, would prohibit parents from not vaccinating their kids for religious or philosophical beliefs, public radio station KPCC reports. The bill now moves on the state assembly. If it eventually becomes law, California would become the 32nd state to ban such exemptions from vaccines.

The bill comes only a few months after a measles outbreak which infected 169 people from 20 states was traced back to a Disneyland theme park in the state. Researchers point to low vaccination rates as the reason for the outbreak.

Opponents of the bill argues it goes against parents’ rights to make decisions about their children’s health. Kids who can’t be vaccinated for medical reasons would still be exempt.