California teenagers should have the right to protect their health by receiving approved vaccines without parental consent or knowledge.
But in many cases, they do not. State law allows minors ages 12 and older to consent to various reproductive and preventive health treatments, including abortions, vaccines for HPV and other sexually transmitted diseases and mental healthcare. But they are not allowed to consent to virtually all other vaccines, including for COVID-19, putting them at personal risk and adding another barrier to community disease prevention.
Senate Bill 866 would change that by allowing minors 15 and older to get a vaccine that has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention without needing consent of a parent or guardian.
