Effort Fails to Overturn Mandatory Vaccines

A grassroots effort to let California voters decide whether vaccinations ought to be mandatory for kids attending public schools has failed, falling about 130,000 signatures short of the 365,880 required statewide to make the November 2016 ballot. Referendum 1693 aimed to overturn SB 277, signed by Gov. Brown on 6/30. Starting 7/1/16, the controversial law requires schoolchildren to be inoculated against 10 commonly targeted diseases  — and “any other disease deemed appropriate” — regardless of personal concerns or religious beliefs. Medical exemptions are still allowed. Out of 191,800 registered voters, Santa Barbara County turned in 6,932 signatures in support of the referendum.