In June of 2015, the Governor of California approved SB 277 which effectively eliminated all non-medical vaccination exemptions, essentially forcing parents to vaccinate their children. The law strong arms parents and strips them of their fundamental right to direct the health care of their children and instead hands over that power to the state. Only two Republicans – Assembleyman Catharine Baker and Senator Jeff Stone – sponsored the legislation, the remaining sponsors were all Democrats.
But apparently, that wasn’t enough for the Democrats, because they didn’t stop there.
Mike Farris, President of the Home School Legal Defense Association wrote in an email:
SB18, filed in December, would plot a dangerous new course for the legislature regarding parental rights. The lawmakers could decide and/or delegate to bureaucrats what decisions are “optimal,” “healthy,” “appropriate, quality,” and “research-based.” This would remove the legal presumption that “natural bonds of affection lead parents to act in the best interests of their children.” Parham v. J.R., 442 U.S. 584 (1979), emphasis added.
If California gets their way, the whole notion that parents know and love their children best will be replaced by a system where the government gets to decide what’s best for children without a showing of need to intervene into a parent’s child-rearing decisions. This is not in the best interest of children and families, and we must not let it happen.
California Family Council supports the protection of children and the empowerment of parents and subsequently urges California lawmakers to reject SB 18.
Legislation which undermines the fundamental rights of parents and leaves them out of the equation when making important health decisions for their children and places that power in the hands of the state must be rejected.
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