The California Legislature on Monday is expected to pass a bill requiring mandatory vaccinations for children, moving to end exemptions from state immunization laws based on religious or other personal beliefs.
The measure, which would be one of the toughest vaccination laws in the nation, would require more children who enter school, or day care, to be vaccinated against diseases including measles and whooping cough.
The bill was introduced because of concern about low vaccination rates in some communities and an outbreak of measles at Disneyland that ultimately infected more than 150 people.
Those with medical conditions such as allergies and immune-system deficiencies, confirmed by a physician, would be excused from immunization.