For the third year in a row, legislation requiring parental consent for the administration of vaccines has been re-filed in the Alabama House of Representatives for the 2025 session.
Under current Alabama law, any minor over the age of 14 or a high school graduate can give legal consent to any authorized medical, dental or mental health treatment without the permission of a parent or guardian. House Bill 2 (HB2) by State Rep. Chip Brown (R Hollinger's Island) would mandate parental consent for an unemancipated minor.
Brown filed identical legislation in 2024, which successfully passed the Alabama House of Representatives. However, like several bills this year, gambling gridlock prevented it from receiving Senate deliberation. A similar bill from Brown also failed to pass in 2023.
The bill would add a short caveat to the existing law: "an unemancipated minor may not give consent to the administration of a vaccination for himself or herself without the written consent of a parent or legal guardian." The current medical age of consent in Alabama is 14, a law that has faced criticism from lawmakers who believe it is outdated.
During the 2024 debate, Republicans supported the bill to a one, while many House Democrats blasted the bill as "government overreach."
Brown noted that vaccinations for COVID-19 were rushed out during "operation warp speed" when he first introduced the legislation. He also stated that potential side effects that could manifest even years after receiving the shots have yet to be studied or tested.
The Alabama Department of Public Health currently employs the parental consent model in its vaccination guidelines; HB2 would merely codify those guidelines into state law.
To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email craig.monger@1819news.com.
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