New Senate Bill to Give California Minors 12 and Older Vaccine Autonomy

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif.—California lawmakers introduced a bill on Jan. 20 designed to allow children 12 and older to receive any U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved vaccination, including the recent COVID-19 vaccine, without parental consent. The Teen Choose Vaccines Act, or Senate Bill 866, builds on an existing state law that gives autonomy for minors 12 and older to receive both the hepatitis B and Human Papillomavirus vaccine. “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,” Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) said in a statement. Wiener, who co-authored the bill with eight other Democrat lawmakers, said parents and guardians who refuse to vaccinate their children are keeping them from participating in sports, extracurricular activities, or spending time with friends. According to the statement, unvaccinated people are approximately 20 times more likely to …