Bill Text: CA SB457 | 2023-2024 | Regular Session | Introduced

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

---

Bill Title: Vision care: consent by a minor.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)

Status: (Passed) 2023-09-01 - Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 152, Statutes of 2023. [SB457 Detail]

Download: California-2023-SB457-Introduced.html

---

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2023–2024 REGULAR SESSION

Senate Bill

No. 457

---

Introduced by Senators Menjivar and Ashby

February 13, 2023

---

An act to amend Section 6922 of the Family Code, relating to minors.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

SB 457, as introduced, Menjivar. Vision care: consent by a minor.

Existing law authorizes a minor 15 years of age or older to consent to the minor’s medical care or dental care, if the minor is living separate and apart from the minor’s parents or guardian and the minor is managing their own financial affairs, as specified. Existing law authorizes a physician and surgeon or dentist, with or without the minor’s consent, to advise the minor’s parent or guardian of the treatment given or needed if the physician and surgeon has reason to know the parent’s or guardian’s whereabouts, based on information given by the minor. Under existing law, a parent or guardian is not liable for care provided according to these provisions.

This bill additionally would authorize minors to consent to their own vision care, and would authorize an optometrist to advise a minor’s parent or guardian of the care given or needed, under the same conditions applicable to the provision of medical care and dental care.

Digest Key

Vote: MAJORITY   Appropriation: NO   Fiscal Committee: NO   Local Program: NO  

---

Bill Text

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

 Section 6922 of the Family Code is amended to read:

6922.

 (a) A minor may consent to the minor’s medical care care, vision care, or dental care if all of the following conditions are satisfied:

(1) The minor is 15 years of age or older.

(2) The minor is living separate and apart from the minor’s parents or guardian, whether with or without the consent of a parent or guardian parent’s or guardian’s consent and regardless of the duration of the separate residence.

(3) The minor is managing the minor’s own financial affairs, regardless of the source of the minor’s income.

(b) The parents or guardian are not liable for medical care care, vision care, or dental care provided pursuant to this section.

(c) A physician and surgeon surgeon, optometrist, or dentist may, with or without the consent of the minor patient, advise the minor’s parent or guardian of the treatment given or needed if the physician and surgeon surgeon, optometrist, or dentist has reason to know, on the basis of the information given by the minor, the whereabouts of the parent or guardian.