California senator proposes state law allowing 12 year-olds to be vaccinated without parental consent

by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent

(Worthy News) – A democrat California senator on Thursday proposed a state law that would allow minors aged 12-17 to be vaccinated, including against COVID-19, without parental permission, the Washington Times reports. The law, proposed by Sen. Scott Wiene of San Francisco, would be permissive, not a mandate.

Currently, minors aged 12-17 in California must have parental permission to be vaccinated – unless the shot is to prevent a sexually transmitted disease, the Times said. California minors in this age group are also allowed to consent to treatment for STDs, mental health issues, and drug abuse.

The legislation proposed by Wiener would allow minors aged 12-17 to consent to any vaccine approved by the US Food and Drug Administration and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, without their parents’ permission, the Times said.

In proposing his vaccine legislation, Wiener pointed out that California already allows this age group to have Hepatitis B and Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines without parental consent, the Times reports. Although his bill would lower the age of consent to vaccination beyond that provided by any other US state, Wiener noted that Alabama has a law like this for over-14s and Oregon has one for over-15s.

“Giving young people the autonomy to receive life-saving vaccines, regardless of their parents’ beliefs or work schedules, is essential for their physical and mental health,” Wiener said in a statement. “It’s unconscionable for teens to be blocked from the vaccine because a parent either refuses or cannot take their child to a vaccination site,” Wiener added.

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