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.
Subscribe to 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.
-
RFK Jr. shuts down mRNA vaccine funding at agency
Speed Read The decision canceled or modified 22 projects, primarily for work on vaccines and therapeutics for respiratory viruses
-
Beatriz Williams' 6 timeless books about history and human relationships
Feature The best-selling author recommends works by Jane Austen, Zora Neale Hurston, and more
-
August 6 editorial cartoons
Cartoons Wednesday's political cartoons include Texas legislators on the lam, Donald Trump's search for lickspittle statisticians, and the Canadian wildfires
-
How China uses 'dark fleets' to circumvent trade sanctions
The Explainer The fleets are used to smuggle goods like oil and fish
-
Thailand, Cambodia agree to ceasefire in border fight
Speed Read At least 38 people were killed and more than 300,000 displaced in the recent violence
-
Israel 'pauses' Gaza military activity as aid outcry grows
Speed Read The World Health Organization said malnutrition has reached 'alarming levels' in Gaza
-
US and EU reach trade deal
Speed Read Trump's meeting with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen resulted in a tariff agreement that will avert a transatlantic trade war
-
At least 12 dead in Thai-Cambodian clashes
Speed Read Both countries accused the other of firing first
-
US and Japan strike trade deal
Speed Read Trump signed what he's calling the 'largest deal ever made'
-
28 nations condemn Israel's 'inhumane killing' in Gaza
Speed Read Countries including Australia, France, Japan and the U.K. have released a joint statement condemning Israel's ongoing attacks
-
Israeli gunfire kills dozens at Gaza aid site
Speed Read The U.N. estimates that at least 875 Palestinians have died while trying to access food in recent months