No issue has been more hotly debated at the state Capitol this year than a proposal that would require school-age children to receive vaccines before they are allowed to attend public school.
A new poll from the Public Policy Institute of California shows an overwhelming majority of Californians appear to support the proposal.
Two-thirds of California adults and 65 percent of public school parents say children should not be allowed to attend public schools unless they are vaccinated against diseases like measles, mumps and rubella, according to the survey, which was released on Thursday.
The bill by Sen. Richard Pan, Senate Bill 277, has drawn protests from strident anti-vaxers, but has strong support from physicians and other public health professionals. The bill has cleared the state Senate and will head next to the state Assembly.
If approved, California would become the third state in the nation to require vaccines without religious and personal belief exemptions.