Thanks to your calls yesterday, Rep. Chenevert’s HB775 was “returned to the calendar” without a vote. Unfortunately, the fight to kill this bill is not over. HB775 could receive a vote at any time between now and the end of session on June 1st.
The Senate convenes this morning at 9:30 am. Please keep calling your state senator and let them know you are concerned about this bad bill.
Click the link below to find your state senator, send a quick email, and make that call.
Last week, HB775 by Rep. Emily Chenevert was successfully amended to reflect the age of majority currently specified in Louisiana’s Civil Code: 18. While coming away with that small victory, HB775 still managed to leave Senate Health and Welfare worse than it arrived.
Rep. Chenevert included in the amendment set this troubling language which allows ANY person to seek ANY medical care for ANY MINOR for ANY reason and the healthcare provider is immune from liability. Parents who have endured custody disputes or legal battles over medical decision-making should recognize the serious implications of this language.
“(1) A healthcare provider, healthcare facility, hospital, physician, nurse, emergency medical services provider, or other person licensed or authorized to provide healthcare services in this state may rely in good faith on the representation of a person professing to be serving as temporary custodian or caregiver of a person who has not attained the age of majority.”
Additionally, because vaccines are a preventative medical intervention, the language in the amendment below allows minors to receive vaccines like HPV and Hep B (or any future vaccine for the prevention of an STD), for the prevention of sexually transmitted illness without parental consent.
“(j) If the person who has not attained the age of majority is seeking contraceptives or prevention or treatment for a sexually transmitted infection.”
This provision violates federal law, the National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act (NCVIA), which requires that a parent receive a Vaccine Information Sheet (VIS) prior to vaccination. Additionally, should they be injured by a vaccine, minors are prohibited from seeking compensation in the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP) — only the parent can seek compensation on their child’s behalf.
Further, any minor enrolled in a college or university, including those dual-enrolled, is considered an adult and may seek ANY medical care, including vaccinations — again, a violation of federal law.
“(i) If the person who has not attained the age of majority is enrolled as a student in a college or university.”
HB775 was “returned to the calendar,” but we need this bill killed, or significantly amended.
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