Democrat lawmaker angers parents with bill allowing 12-year-olds to be vaccinated without parental consent

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Connecticut parents 'not in favor' of student vaccinations without parental consent: Lori Osenkowski

Lori Osenkowski, a Connecticut mother of three, reacts to a state bill that would allow students to receive a COVID-19 vaccine without parental consent.

Many Connecticut parents are "not in favor" of their children getting vaccinated without their consent, pushing back on a proposed state law for children to make their own decisions on vaccinations at age 12.

"I am not in favor of this bill whatsoever," mother of three, Lori Osenkowski, told "Fox & Friends First" on Friday.

"I have three sons. My oldest are 12 and 13, and they're called the parents for a reason. They look for us as parents to guide them in the right direction, to provide safety, whatever they need until they're 18 years old, and they are adults."

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A bill proposed in the Connecticut state legislature would give children 12 years and older the right to get vaccines without parental consent.

Democratic State Rep. Kevin Ryan, who represents the state’s 139th District, introduced the measure, Bill No. 5480, which is described as "an act allowing children 12 years of age and older to receive a vaccination without the consent of a parent or guardian."

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A pediatrician vaccinates a child with a 6-way combination vaccine against diphtheria, tetanus (tetanus), polio, pertussis, Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib), and hepatitis B. (Julian Stratenschulte/dpa (Photo by Julian Stratenschulte/picture alliance via Getty Images))

The measure, which has been referred by the state House to the Joint Committee on Public Health, was proposed for the state's 2023 legislative session and does not rule out other vaccines aside from those for COVID-19.

Ryan's proposal, according to Hartford's WFSB, comes amid concerns from his constituents. 

Parents in Connecticut are required to give either written or verbal permission for their children to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. The age of consent for the vaccine in the state, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation, is 18.

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"This seems wrong to me," said host and Connecticut father Todd Piro.

"If this bill would be passed, you are granting this child the right, but you're also taking away a parent's right to be involved in your decision in their health. And that is extremely important," Osenkowski said.

Fox News Digital reached out to Ryan regarding his vaccine proposal but did not receive an immediate response. It's unclear whether the bill will move forward in the legislative session. 

Fox News' Kyle Morris contributed to this report. 

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