California legislators proposed Senate Bill 276 in response to “unscrupulous” doctors who allegedly issue exemptions for dubious reasons. Gov. Gavin Newsom has signaled he will sign the bill.
Activist Joshua Coleman organized the rally. Mr. Coleman has used controversial tactics in the past, including posting Youtube videos of himself at events trying to confront state Sen. Richard Pan, who is also a pediatrician.
“I think I do ride the edge just a little bit, but I don’t view [it] as agitating,” Mr. Coleman told The Sacramento Bee at the rally. “I view it as pushing the truth in a creative way, and sometimes a slightly aggressive way.”
The rally also comes one week after activist Andrew Bennett was cited for a misdemeanor after filming himself shoving Dr. Pan. Both Dr. Pan and a sponsor of the bill, Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez, say they have received death threats.
Some rally attendees distanced themselves from Mr. Bennett. He is “not a part of our movement,” one activist said.
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