Turns Out Jessica Biel Is Lobbying Against a California Vaccination Bill
If you've been wondering, "Hm, what is Jessica Biel up to?" it's this: Biel was recently spotted alongside Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. to lobby against a California vaccination bill called SB 276.
Kennedy is an environmental activist who has become known for his (incorrect) claims that vaccines are dangerous. And after Kennedy posted a photo of himself and Biel together at the California State Assembly and California State Senate, it was discovered that the two were there to lobby against a bill that would "limit medical exemptions from vaccinations without approval from a state public health officer," according to The Daily Beast. Two of the bill’s co-sponsors include the California Medical Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics, California.
A post shared by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (@robertfkennedyjr) on Jun 11, 2019 at 6:27pm PDT
The Daily Beast was able to speak to Kennedy, who doesn't like the label "anti-vaxx," and he said that Biel is for "safe vaccines and for medical freedom." He told the outlet:
"The biggest problem with the bill, which is something I think Jessica is concerned with is that a doctor who has made a determination-if he has found children in this state whose doctors have determined that they’re too fragile to receive vaccinations-this bill would overrule the doctors and force them to be vaccinated anyways.
"[Biel] was a very effective advocate, She was very strong and very knowledgeable, extremely well-informed, an extremely effective advocate. She knows what she’s talking about… She’s upset about this issue because of its particular cruelty. She has friends who have been vaccine-injured who would be forced to leave the state."
However, vaccination advocates disagree with this interpretation and have said that this bill would not affect people who have valid reasons for exemption. Leah Russin, the executive director of Vaccinate California, a co-sponsor of the bill, told Daily Beast that if this bill were to become law, children who need medical exemptions would be able to get them and "the people who truly need medical exemptions desperately need everyone else to be vaccinated." She continued, "That’s why they support this bill. Medical advice should be coming from medical professionals."
Back in 2015, it was reported but unconfirmed that Biel and her husband Justin Timberlake were allegedly not planning to vaccinate their children because she felt "vaccination could cause complications," though the couple had not spoken about it publicly.
Biel recently took to Instagram to explain her views, writing, "I am not against vaccinations - I support children getting vaccinations and I also support families having the right to make educated medical decisions for their children alongside their physicians. My concern with #SB277 is solely regarding medical exemptions."
A post shared by Jessica Biel (@jessicabiel) on Jun 13, 2019 at 5:32am PDT
She continued, writing that she's concerned because she has friends whose child has a medical condition that warrants an exemption from vaccines, and she believes the bill would "greatly affect their family’s ability to care for their child in this state." "That’s why I spoke to legislators and argued against this bill," she wrote. "Not because I don’t believe in vaccinations, but because I believe in giving doctors and the families they treat the ability to decide what’s best for their patients and the ability to provide that treatment. I encourage everyone to read more on this issue and to learn about the intricacies of #SB277"
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