At a press conference Wednesday, Rep. Jennifer Balkcom, R-Henderson, was joined by fellow Republicans co-sponsors to introduce the Parents’ Medical Bill of Rights, legislation that revises North Carolina laws to clarify when minors can consent to medical treatment independently and when parents can access their minors’ medical records.
“[This bill] ensures that, when it comes to a child’s health, parents are back at the center of the conversation where they’ve always belonged,” said Balkcom.
House Bill 519 mandates parental consent for treatments related to mental health, substance abuse, and sexually transmitted diseases, extending parental authority up to age 18, the federal age of accountability. A companion bill, the Minors Health Protection Act, has been filed in the North Carolina Senate.
In North Carolina’s current legal framework, the authority to consent to treatments for sexually transmitted diseases, substance abuse, and emotional disturbance lies with children rather than their parents. This setup excludes parents from critical medical choices that could profoundly affect their child’s life, placing the responsibility solely on the minor and possibly blocking parental involvement. Moreover, the bill sponsors argued the status quo sidelines parents from engaging in highly personal, value-driven circumstances where they, as those tasked with raising the child, rightfully deserve a voice.
The proposal would also require parental consent for minors to receive non-FDA approved vaccinations, such as COVID vaccines released under Emergency Use Authorizations.
“During COVID-19, parents were pushed, and as we’ve seen in the Supreme Court case, some parents’ children were forced without their consent to get COVID vaccines,” said Rep. Neal Jackson, R-Moore, making reference to a recent decision by the NC Supreme Court. “[T]he words were, ‘give it to him anyway,’ and to me, as a parent, we’ve got a problem with that.”
The Republican co-sponsors cited personal experiences and constituent complaints, including cases where parents were denied medical record access due to hospital or medical practice policies.
Provisions exist for suspected abuse cases, where healthcare providers can act without parental involvement if required by law (e.g., reporting to authorities). The proposal would enshrine in law a parent’s right to access all medical records of their minor child, including treatments the minor consented to, unless:
- The care involves suspected abuse/neglect examinations;
- A court order prohibits release; or,
- The parent is under investigation for a crime against the minor, and law enforcement requests withholding.
The bill applies to medical settings and extends to school environments where mental health or medical care is provided, ensuring parental involvement.
The legislation is being heralded by supporters such as the NC Values Coalition.
“Parents should have the right to make decisions about their child’s medical care,” declared NC Values Coalition press director Ashley Vaughn.”Let’s be clear: children can’t manage complex treatment plans or navigate the healthcare system alone. They aren’t ready to weigh the benefits versus the risks of psychiatric meds, or to comply with the strict regimen required to manage HIV. And they should not bear the physical and emotional toll of addiction recovery alone. Parents are being sidelined when their children need them the most, and it is time for North Carolina to fix this problem.”
If passed and enacted, the law would take effect Oct. 1, 2025, applying to acts on or after that date.
The post State lawmakers file Parents’ Medical Bill of Rights legislation first appeared on Carolina Journal.