Bay Area Senator Proposes 12-Year-Olds Should Have Vaccination Rights Without Parents Consent

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — Should a 12-year-old have the right to get vaccinated without parental consent? That's the goal behind a new bill proposed Friday by San Francisco Senator Scott Wiener.

Were getting answers on how the bill would change current law and what types of medical care minors already can get on their own.

Parents were sounding off about vaccines for teens.

"They need an adult with that," one parent said.

Right now, minors must have parental consent to get vaccinated unless it's specifically being used to prevent a sexually transmitted disease. Wiener's proposal would remove the consent requirement for all vaccines as long as they're FDA-approved and recommended by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

That includes the Covid-19 vaccine.

"This is not a new or radical idea," Wiener said.

Wiener argues both federal and state laws already give minors medical rights. So what medical treatments can 12-year-olds currently get without parental consent?

A partial list includes treatment for sexually transmitted diseases, including the hepatitis b vaccine, the human papillomavirus vaccine and reproductive care including birth control and abortion.

Twelve-year-olds also can get treatment for substance abuse, alcohol abuse, domestic violence and emergency services after rape.

Wiener says adding vaccines shouldn't be considered controversial.

"This is very consistent with existing law," he said.

If passed, California would have the second-youngest age of consent in the country, trailing only Washington, D.C. The age of consent there is 11.