The Golden State has succumbed to mounting lawsuits and repealed a hotly debated law that sought to muzzle physicians offering COVID advice that contradicted mainstream medical perceptions. Legal action saw the bill, initially enacted in September 2022 and implemented in January, brought to an abrupt halt.
The law intended to classify COVID “misinformation” as misconduct in the medical profession, authorizing the Medical Board of California to revoke licenses of healthcare providers deviating from the prevailing scientific viewpoints. Though a federal judge brought the controversial rule to a standstill almost immediately after its enforcement, the extent of its actual application remains nebulous.
Governor Gavin Newsom, offered no remarks upon signing a Senate bill to negate the contentious section of the Business and Professions Code. The repeal should finalize in January, precisely one year after the initial law rolled out.
The first lawsuit was initiated in California’s Central District by the Liberty Justice Center soon after Newsom rolled out the new law. In their lawsuit, two doctors alleged that the new rule infringed on their constitutional right to free speech and scientific inquiry’s fundamental nature, expressing deeply felt reactions to their victory.
“We’re glad California repealed this bill before it could spread to other states, and we’re proud to have defended our clients’ First Amendment rights,” wrote Jacob Huebert, president of the Liberty Justice Center.
