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After months of rancorous debate and emotional pleas from parents, a bill that would force most Californians to vaccinate their children cleared its last major legislative hurdle on Thursday. (Seipel and Calefati, 6/25)

California lawmakers on Thursday approved one of the toughest mandatory vaccination requirements in the nation, moving to end exemptions from state immunization laws based on religious or other personal beliefs. The measure, among the most controversial taken up by the Legislature this year, would require more children who enter day care and school to be vaccinated against diseases including measles and whooping cough. (McGreevy and Lin, 6/25)

California physician groups praised the Assembly’s passage of one of the toughest mandatory vaccination laws in the nation, and urged Gov. Jerry Brown to sign it if the bill reaches his desk. “To make a decision not to vaccinate is actually to make a decision to potentially harm the community,” said Dr. Jay W. Lee, president of the California Academy of Family Physicians. “The health of the public is going to be protected by this measure.” (Lin, 6/25)

The controversial bill that would require almost all children entering day care or school in California to be vaccinated crossed another key hurdle Thursday, as the state Assembly approved it by a vote of 46-30. The bill, SB 277, now returns to the state Senate, where lawmakers will be asked to concur with amendments made in the Assembly. (Plevin, 6/25)