A measure that would have allowed kids as young as 12 to receive mental health treatment without the knowledge or consent of their parents failed in the California Assembly on Friday.
SB 543 went so far as to propose deleting a provision from current law that requires professionals working with a teen to contact a parent or guardian, calling such measures "inappropriate."
The bill was placed in the inactive file, which means it will not be heard this year.
Allan Parker, president of the Justice Foundation, said the bill is an attack on the family.
"It takes away the parental control and authority from the parent or guardian," he said. "And it essentially makes children adults at age 12 with the capacity under the law to make their own decision regarding mental health services."
Two other bills hostile to families have successfully made it by lawmakers.
SB 54 recognizes out-of-state same-sex marriages, even though voters overwhelmingly approved a constitutional amendment in November defining marriage as the union of one man and one woman.
SB 572, the Harvey Milk bill, passed the State Assembly by a vote of 45-27. It honors one of the first openly gay elected officials.
Everett Rice, legislative coordinator for the California Family Council, said special-interest bills bring special problems.
"They apply their special specific issue to every child," he said, "and that's inappropriate."
