The House Judiciary Committee has once again advanced a bill that would raise the age of consent for those receiving a vaccine in Alabama.
This is the third year in a row that the committee advanced a bill on this issue. HB2, introduced by State Rep. Chip Brown (R-Hollingers Island), would require the written consent of a parent or a legal guardian for any minor to receive a vaccination, unless the minor is living independently from his or her parent or legal guardian.
“It’s not an anti-vaccine bill — it’s a parental rights bill,” Brown said about the bill earlier this year. “At the age of 14, most children are not capable of making really informed decisions.”
The bill was advanced with no objection Wednesday.
“At the end of the day, your child’s medical health should come down to the parent, not a 14-year-old being able to make their own decisions,” Brown continued. “This gives that power back to the parents for them to make the decisions on what vaccinations or any vaccinations that their child gets.”
RELATED: Alabama House passes bill requiring parental consent to give vaccines to teenagers
Last session, a similar bill passed the House on a bipartisan vote of 81 to 17, but didn’t make it through the Senate.
Yaffee is a contributing writer to Yellowhammer News and hosts “The Yaffee Program” weekdays 9-11 a.m. on WVNN. You can follow him on Twitter @Yaffee
