As California suffers through the worst outbreak of the measles in 20 years, San Jose Mercury News reports that two state lawmakers plan to introduce legislation to close what many see as a loophole in California vaccination law.
Currently, children's parents can opt them out of vaccinations with an exemption based on "personal belief." Back in 2000, less than 0.77 percent of kindergartners in the state had such exemptions, but by last year that rate had tripled to 2.5 percent.
"We shouldn't wait for more children to sicken or die before we act," said Democratic State Senator Richard Pan, himself a pediatrician, at a press conference. "Parents are letting us know our current laws are insufficient to protect their kids." Another Democrat, State Senator Ben Allen of Redondo Beach, will co-sponsor the legislation. It's as yet unclear whether Pan and Allen hope to negate religious exemptions to vaccination as well, which are less common than personal belief exemptions.
California is among 19 states that make allowances for such exemptions. Perhaps other legislation might allow anti-vaxxers to simply opt-out of California, though it remains unlikely that anyone will be able to opt-out of science.
Previously: Bay Area Woman With Measles Visits Costco, Dave & Busters, Prompts Outbreak Warnings