Action Alert: Call to Support Colorado Parents’ Bill of Rights

We are excited to let you know that Colorado State Representative Tonya Van Beber has introduced H.B. 22-1236, The Parent’s Bill of Rights, to protect children in Colorado!

Representative Van Beber was joined by the following cosponsors: State Senator Don Coram, and State Representatives Richard Holtorf, Stephanie Luck, Mike Lynch, Patrick Neville, Rod Pelton, Andres Pico, Kim Ransom, and Janice Rich.

While Colorado already has codified as public policy in the state that parental rights are fundamental (Colo. Rev. Stat. § 13-22-107(1)(a)(III), enacted in 2003), H.B. 22-1236 will give teeth to Colorado’s existing law by stating: “The state, any political subdivision of the state, or any other governmental entity or institution shall not infringe upon the  fundamental right of a parent to direct the upbringing, education, and health care of the parent’s minor child without demonstrating that the compelling governmental interest, as applied to the minor child involved, is of the highest order, is narrowly tailored, and cannot be accomplished in a less restrictive manner.” In addition, the bill would also do the following:

• Protect the parents’ right to “direct the upbringing, education, and health care” of their child;
• Protect the parents’ right to “make health care decisions” for their child;
• Allow parents to protect their children’s privacy in public schools, as well as opt their child out of school data collection or certain school classes; and
• Provide a host of additional protections for families in Colorado. 

H.B. 22-1236 has been scheduled to be heard before the Colorado House Health & Insurance Committee on Wednesday, March 23, at 1:30 PM.

Please call or email (or both!) your Colorado State Representative and ask him or her to support H.B. 22-1236. 

Your message can be as simple as:

“Please support H.B. 22-1236, the Parent’s Bill of Rights. This critical and timely bill will strengthen existing Colorado law that parental rights are a fundamental right, as the U.S. Supreme Court has held for the past 100 years. Additionally, H.B. 22-1236 will protect the right of parents to make critical decisions regarding the education, health care, and upbringing of their own children, and to protect their children’s privacy in Colorado’s public schools.”

If you decide to email your State Representative, feel free to link to the letter of support that we sent to the sponsor and cosponsors of H.B. 22-1236.

Thank you for standing with us to protect parental rights.

Sincerely,

Will Estrada

President, ParentalRights.org