MONTGOMERY — The Alabama House of Representatives passed legislation on Thursday requiring parental consent for minors to receive vaccinations.
Under current Alabama law, any minor who is 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 165 (HB165) by State Rep. Chip Brown (R-Hollinger's Island) would add a short caveat to the existing law, stating that "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." Regarding Alabama law, Brown's bill would raise the age of informed consent to 19 for vaccinations.
Brown presented the bill before the House, amending the legislation to account for cases where the minor is not reliant on a parent or guardian for support, living apart from their parent or guardian, or managing their own affairs.
Brown described an event in an Alabama school where he claimed there was a mass administration of flu vaccines without parental notification or consent.
Newly elected State Rep. Marilyn Lands (D-Huntsville) opposed the bill, claiming it was "government overreach."
"I'm particularly concerned about the HPV vaccine," Lands said. "The reality is, there are families, there are situations where a child wants to get that vaccine, and their father is the rapist. So, there are many kinds of instances where I think children should be able to consent for themselves."
State Rep. Brett Easterbrook (R-Fruitdale) responded to Lands from the podium.
"It's government overreach for someone to give a child a vaccine without the parent's permission, that is government overreach," Easterbrook said. "It has nothing to do with a rapist; I don't think there's a vaccine for rape. They are still required to report rape and abuse. But the idea that the government should decide for the parent which vaccine the kid should and should not take is what I see as government overreach."
Republican lawmakers overwhelmingly supported the legislation.
"I was just going to tell you, as a parent of six children, I appreciate what you're doing here," said State Rep. Shane Stringer (R-Citronelle). "I absolutely want to be notified of something like this involving my children. Not that it's a bad thing, a flu vaccination or COVID or anything else, but I absolutely want to be notified and given the opportunity to have input on what my child receives or not."
State Rep. Ernie Yarbrough (R-Trinity) applauded the bill for returning parental rights in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.
"Besides so many attacks on parental rights and circumventing the nuclear family in libraries and other things, our country is in these battles," he outlined. "Through all the situations of COVID and vaccine mandates and all the things that have happened, it's important that we establish the foundation of reasserting individual and family rights and freedoms."
The bill ultimately passed with a vote of 81-17 with three abstentions. The "no" votes came exclusively from Democrats.
To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email craig.monger@1819news.com.
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