Nevada County’s State Senator Ted Gaines hosted a town hall style meeting with constituents at the Rood Center last night. One popular topic was the mandatory vaccination bill currently before the Assembly. Gaines says Senate Bill 277 has galvanized constituents like few other bills. Parents from around the state have journeyed to Sacramento to push for a bill that would allow personal exemptions. Senator Gaines told the audience he has personal experience with adverse reaction to vaccine.*

click to listen to Senator Gaines

Gaines says his daughter did suffer brain damage from the vaccine.

click to listen to Senator Gaines

Senator Richard Pan, the author of SB277 in negotiations with the Assembly has agreed to an amendment allowing doctors to consider family medical history in awardinging medical exemptions. Another amendment clarified that children who already have personal belief exemptions could keep them until entring kindergarten or seventh grade. The Assembly is expected to hold a vote on the floor soon  on the vaccination Bill.

Other Questions came up about the Low Medi-Cal reimbursement rates which makes it difficult for people on Medi-Cal to find a doctor or get treatment. Senator Gaines says he supports an increase.*
click to listen to Ted Gaines
Other issues raised at the town hall meeting last night were the drought vs. the power of the State Water Resources Control Board . Wildfire concerns and the high cost and difficulty for homeowners living in State Responsibility Areas to obtain homeowners insurance. Another constituent wanted to know when reservoirs would be built as part of the water bonds voters passed in the November 2014 election.