Parents' Medical Bill of Rights.

"Parents' Medical Bill of Rights." Bill of Rights. That's a phrase that means expanding freedoms. Adding protections. Enshrining things people should be guaranteed.

The bill repeals a 50-year-old North Carolina law that allows minors to consent to their own treatment for sexually transmitted infections, substance abuse, and mental health issues. Under HB 519, a 16-year-old who thinks they might have an STD would need parental permission to get tested. A teenager struggling with addiction would need a parent's sign-off to access treatment. A kid dealing with depression in an abusive household would need the abuser's consent to see a therapist.

The American Academy of Pediatrics has stated that confidentiality is an "essential component" of quality adolescent healthcare. Several doctors testified against the bill in committee hearings. An OB-GYN wrote in NC Newsline that the bill would undermine patient-provider trust and that healthcare providers don't leave young patients "alone" to navigate decisions... they provide guidance, often suggesting parental involvement. The ACLU called it a bill targeting medical care for young people.

The bill grants parents access to nearly all of their minor children's medical records and requires written parental consent for vaccines with emergency use authorization. It passed the House 68-41 with no Democratic support. The sponsor said parents were being "excluded from deeply personal situations." Opponents said the bill will cause teenagers to simply avoid treatment altogether.

The title says "Bill of Rights." The bill removes rights... from minors. The people who need confidential healthcare the most... kids in unsafe homes, kids afraid to tell their parents about an STD, kids battling addiction in secret... are exactly the ones this bill will push away from care.