Referenda Seeking to Reverse Immunization Medical Exemption Laws Cleared for Circulation

This week, California Secretary of State Alex Padilla cleared for circulation two referenda challenging California statute related to state oversight of medical exemptions for school immunization requirements enacted through Senator Richard Pan’s SB 276 and SB 714. Recall, the two measures were passed and signed into law earlier this month after a flurry of activities, including bill negotiations, numerous protests, and last-minute amendments from the Newsom Administration.

Proponents of the referenda must collect 623,212 signatures on both referenda by December 9, 2019, to qualify for the 2020 statewide ballot. Recall, a recent poll from the Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) found that nearly three-fourths of Californians support requiring vaccinations. Additional information on the status of the referenda can be found on the California Secretary of State’s website here.