Bill Amended on June 16

After it passed in the Senate back on May 12, on June 16 the Assembly voted to amend SB866 to change the age of consent for vaccines from 12 to 15 years old. This is an improvement in the bill, but all the problems with minor vaccine consent remain. The vote to amend the bill passed with 38 members in favor and 22 opposed. We are hopeful that these 38 members will also vote against passing the bill. SB866 would allow those 15 and up to consent to any FDA-approved vaccination without parental knowledge or consent.

Family Taken Out of the Equation

As we described in our May Action Alert prior to the May 12 Senate vote, SB866 would add to the state’s Family Code, by removing a minor’s family, i.e., parents or caregivers, ability to have any input on critical medical decisions. This bill both attacks the sacred nature of parent-child relationships and exposes minors to the potential dangers of vaccines, especially the novel COVID-19 vaccines. California Health Coalition Advocacy has been a leader in opposing this bill, and they offer some key insights as to why it is a danger to California youth as noted below.

No Age-Appropriate Information, No Opportunity for
Parents to Monitor for Adverse Reactions

SB866 does nothing to ensure that age-appropriate vaccine information will be provided about the risks v. benefits of any vaccination. And another key flaw in this law is that if a parent does not know that their minor child has been vaccinated, they will be unable to watch for side effects or adverse reactions. Also, current federal law holds that a parent is to be given a Vaccine Information Sheet (VIS) before their child gets a vaccine, yet there is no rule mandating that a minor themselves would get a VIS!

Youth Vulnerable to Undue Influence

CHCA also points out that duress or undue influence is a huge issue with youth. Folks this young are susceptible to both peer pressure and rewards, such as lottery tickets or free food. And a key fact is that youth may choose vaccination so they can take part in programs such as sports or theater, rather than out of any rational medical necessity. And with California awash in pro-vaccine billboards and other communications aimed at youth, decisions may be made based on propaganda rather than facts.

Parents Have the Strongest Interest in Youth Health

Other key problems with this bill include the fact that 12+ year old youth may not even know their full medical history, nor the risks vaccines may pose to them individually. And many students have special needs and mental functioning issues, which the bill does not address in any way. Parents are in the best position to make health decisions based on a youth’s medical history, as this requires weighing complex medical risks and benefits.