California senator withdraws bill to allow minors to get vaccinated without parental approval


California state Sen. Scott Wiener (D) dropped a bill that would have allowed minors in the state to get vaccinated without parental consent, reports the Los Angeles Times.
The bill, S.B. 866, would have granted children 15 and older access to the COVID vaccine and other FDA-approved vaccines without needing parental permission or knowledge.
However, Wiener pulled his proposal on Wednesday due to its lack of support. The bill was "several votes short of 41" needed to pass.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
"Sadly, months of harassment and misinformation — including death threats against me and teen advocates — by a small but highly vocal and organized minority of anti-vaxxers have taken their toll," said Wiener in a statement. "The anti-vaxxers may have prevailed in this particular fight, but the broader fight for science and health continues."
The San Francisco Chronicle writes that Wiener suspects widespread misinformation about vaccines has persuaded parents to reject "potentially lifesaving immunizations" and that the health of teens will suffer as a result of the bill not passing.
Parents have argued the bill would interfere with their rights to choose what is best for their child and could lead to treatment complications if a child had a serious reaction and hadn't disclosed that they were vaccinated.
"The bill is the third major piece of vaccine legislation to die at the state Capitol this year," writes the Chronicle.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Anahi Valenzuela has worked as an editorial assistant at The Week since 2022, where she assists with magazine content and covers the week's best photos. She started her career as a media producer at The Daily Californian and a writer for College Magazine.
-
Marisa Silver’s 6 favorite books that capture a lifetime
Feature The author recommends works by John Williams, Ian McEwan, and more
-
Book reviews: ‘We the People: A History of the U.S. Constitution’ and ‘Will There Ever Be Another You’
Feature The many attempts to amend the U.S. Constitution and Patricia Lockwood’s struggle with long Covid
-
Philadelphia’s Calder Gardens
Feature A permanent new museum
-
Japan poised to get first woman prime minister
Speed Read The ruling Liberal Democratic Party elected former Economic Security Minister Sanae Takaichi
-
Israel and Hamas meet on hostages, Trump’s plan
Speed Read Hamas accepted the general terms of Trump’s 20-point plan, including the release of all remaining hostages
-
US tipped to help Kyiv strike Russian energy sites
Speed Read Trump has approved providing Ukraine with intelligence for missile strikes on Russian energy infrastructure
-
Netanyahu agrees to Trump’s new Gaza peace plan
Speed Read At President Trump's meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, they agreed upon a plan to end Israel’s war in Gaza
-
Russia is ‘helping China’ prepare for an invasion of Taiwan
In the Spotlight Russia is reportedly allowing China access to military training
-
Moldova gives decisive win to pro-EU party
Speed Read The country is now on track to join the European Union within five years
-
Interpol arrests hundreds in Africa-wide sextortion crackdown
IN THE SPOTLIGHT A series of stings disrupts major cybercrime operations as law enforcement estimates millions in losses from schemes designed to prey on lonely users
-
UK, 3 Western allies recognize Palestinian state
Speed Read Britain, Canada, Australia and Portugal formally recognized the state of Palestine