SCOTUS’ Refusal To Hear Challenge of New York Vaccine Law Could Have Implications in California

On Monday, the U.S. Supreme Court announced that it will not hear a case challenging New York's requirement that children receive mandatory vaccinations before attending public school. Dorit Reiss, a vaccine law expert at UC-Hastings College of the Law, said the decision means potential challenges to a new vaccine law (SB 277) in California are "not likely to succeed." The California law, by state Sens. Richard Pan (D-Sacramento) and Ben Allen (D-Redondo Beach), only allows children who have received vaccinations for certain diseases, such as measles and whooping cough, to be admitted to schools in the state. The legislation allows some exemptions for medical reasons and for children enrolled in home-schooling programs.

• "How U.S. Supreme Court Just Made it Tougher To Challenge California Vaccine Law" (Aliferis, "State of Health," KQED, 10/6).