Assemblywoman Buffy Wicks (D-Oakland), shown in 2020, said she will not pursue a proposal this year for a vaccine mandate. (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press)
California lawmakers drop statewide vaccine mandate idea – Los Angeles Times
BY MELODY GUTIERREZ, TARYN LUNA
PUBLISHED AUG. 30, 2021 UPDATED AUG. 31, 2021 3 PM PT
SACRAMENTO — Democratic lawmakers have dropped a controversial proposal to mandate vaccines in the state, a move that would have been challenging to pass in the final weeks of the legislative session and was already providing fodder for the upcoming recall election.
Assemblywoman Buffy Wicks (D-Oakland) said she will not pursue the proposal this year after drafts of her bill language were leaked last week, saying she needed more time to craft “the strongest bill possible.”
However, dropping the proposal before the Legislature adjourns next week effectively leaves the decision to the governor, who could impose a vaccine mandate on his own to help protect the state from a fall and winter surge.
On Tuesday, Newsom said he will “consider subsequent actions” to impose additional vaccine mandates in the state as needed to help protect Californians from new variants.
Read more here >> https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2021-08-30/democratic-lawmakers-drop-their-idea-of-a-california-statewide-vaccine-mandate