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Unswayed by a relentless parade of opposition, a key Senate panel on Wednesday passed a bill that would strengthen California's vaccination requirements, capping an emotional hearing that marked the beginning of a battle over what has become Sacramento's most contentious issue this year. (Seipel, 4/8)

A bill that would make childhood vaccinations harder to avoid survived its first legislative test Wednesday, after a three-hour hearing marked by raw emotion on both sides of the issue and a packed rally at which Robert F. Kennedy Jr. denounced the measure. The measure, which would end parents' ability to obtain vaccination waivers for their children based on personal beliefs, passed the state Senate Health Committee on a 6-2 vote. (McGreevy, 4/8)