Democratic lawmakers drop idea for a California statewide vaccine mandate

Assemblywoman Buffy Wicks, shown in 2020, said she will not pursue a proposal this year for a vaccine mandate. Assemblywoman Buffy Wicks 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. “We’ve made significant progress over the past couple weeks, and I’m hopeful that this conversation will ultimately lead to an increase in vaccination rates, and a decrease in COVID deaths and ICU stays.” Newsom said Tuesday that he would continue to consider a possible vaccine mandate, “not just with Legislature, but also through the authorities that are vested in me as governor.” The idea quickly became a lightning rod in the recall race, with Republican Kevin Kiley, an assemblyman from Rocklin, vowing to fight it. Critics of vaccination mandates have held regular protests throughout the pandemic, including on Sunday when hundreds of people gathered near the Santa Monica Pier in an event billed as a “worldwide rally for freedom.” Assemblyman Jim Patterson said in a tweet that the decision for Democratic lawmakers to not pursue the bill “is a testament to the thousands of calls and emails made in the last couple of days.” In a draft of AB 455 obtained by The Times, the would-be bill called for anyone entering a bar, restaurant, gym, hotel, event center or sports arena to show proof of full vaccination.