New Vaccine Bill Toughens School Exemption Law

MOSES LOPEZ Staff Writer

Senate Bill 276 was signed into law by governor Gavin Newsom on Monday, Sept. 9. This happened after Richard Pan, the writer of the bill, accepted the governors changes. The bill limits vaccine exemptions for students. 

In California, doctors could excuse vaccinations of students for medical reasons. According to the Los Angeles Times, SB 276 would allow the California Department of Public Health to reject medical exemptions by doctors if necessary. It would require that doctors certify, under penalty of perjury, that the exemption for the student is valid and accurate.

 Supporters of the bill believe some doctors use unnecessary exemptions for profitable reasons. However, many protesters have disagreed on having to vaccinate their children before and after the Senate approved the bill. 

“I think that California schools are strict enough and should just stay with the regulations already in place,” freshman Demario Sanabria said. 

Some of these protestors would interrupt the Senate’s session by yelling at the legislators as they spoke. Despite that, SB 276 was signed.