Children 12 and older could be vaccinated without parental consent, under new bill

A new bill would allow California children 12 and older to be vaccinated against Covid-19 and other diseases, without their parents’ consent or knowledge.

Senate Bill 866 was introduced by Sen. Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco. If passed by the Legislature and signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom, the bill would go into effect Jan. 1, 2023, according to the Los Angeles Times.

🧵 I introduced new legislation (#SB866) to lower the vaccine age of consent from 18 to 12.

Unvaccinated teens are at risk, put others at risk & make schools less safe. They often can’t work, participate in sports, or go to friends’ homes.

Let’s let teens protect their health.

— Senator Scott Wiener (@Scott_Wiener) January 21, 2022

Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia allow children 11 and older to be vaccinated without parental approval. California law already gives minors 12 and older the ability to make reproductive healthcare decisions, including obtaining the human papillomavirus and hepatitis B vaccines.