California Bill Would Mandate Coronavirus Vaccine for K-12 Students, Exclude Religious Exemptions

A Democrat California state senator introduced a bill on Monday that would add the coronavirus vaccine to the state’s list of required vaccinations for K-12 students.

Sen. Richard Pan’s Senate Bill 871 is more strict than California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s vaccine mandate for students, which has yet to go into effect, because it only allows for medical exemptions and excludes exemptions for religion and personal beliefs.

“Under the bill, the California Department of Public Health could mandate vaccines in the future without requiring the state to offer personal belief exemptions, a move that would make it easier to add COVID-19 boosters or other immunizations for students without a lengthy legislative process,” the Los Angeles Times reported Monday.

Pan, who is a pediatrician, said the legislation is aimed at making sure schools are “safe” so that “all parents are comfortable sending their children to school.”

“And we want to keep schools open,” he added.

Newsom’s mandate will require all public and private school students to get jabbed, though it will not go into effect until the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) fully approves the vaccine for children 12- years-old and above.

Pan’s legislation would mandate students from kindergarten through 12th grade receive the vaccine beginning Jan. 1.

“That requirement would be in place even if Pfizer-BioNTech remains available through emergency authorization for ages 5 to 15, although Pan said that language is “something we’re still working out,” according to the report.

Democrats introduced another coronavirus vaccine bill last week that would allow children 12 and over to get vaccinated against coronavirus without parental consent or knowledge. Republican lawmakers are largely against both bills, arguing that the government is attempting to override the authority of parents.

Assemblyman James Gallagher (R-Yuba City) said:

Democrats were saying last week that they want to give your children a choice. It’s pretty clear they don’t want to give your children a choice. If they decide not to have a vaccine under this bill, they will be kicked out of school. This is about them wanting you to make the choice that the government has decided for you.

Pan claimed on Monday that vaccine mandates have “overwhelming support” from parents, according to the report.