Action Alert: Contact Critical Senate Committee Now in Support of Parental Rights

On Tuesday, the New Hampshire Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing on two good bills, H.B. 1612 to protect families from false reports of child abuse and neglect, and H.B. 1431, the Parents’ Bill of Rights. 

Attorney Mike Donnelly, senior counsel with Home School Legal Defense Association, attended the hearing on behalf of ParentalRights.org and presented powerful and compelling testimony to the committee in favor of both bills. You can watch the entire hearing here. Mike Donnelly testifies in favor of the Parents’ Bill of Rights (H.B. 1431) at 1:54:00, and in favor of H.B. 1612 starting at 2:49:44.

As the Senate Judiciary Committee considers whether to support these two bills, we ask that you email all the members of the committee and respectfully ask them to support these two bills. Importantly, we support Senator Bob Guida’s amendment to the Parents’ Bill of Rights (H.B. 1431) to restore protections for parental rights regarding medical decisions of their minor children. This good language was in the original bill introduced in the New Hampshire House but was taken out during final passage. Putting this language back into the Parents’ Bill of Rights will further strengthen family freedom when it comes to medical decisions.

You can email all the members of the Senate Judiciary Committee by visiting the Committee page here and clicking “Email Entire Committee.” 

Here is a suggested email, but we encourage you to add in your own words, share personal anecdotes, and make changes so it comes from your heart:

Dear Members of the New Hampshire Senate Judiciary Committee:

I ask that you support H.B. 1612 and H.B. 1431. Both of these bills have already passed the New Hampshire House of Representatives, and both of these bills will protect children and families in New Hampshire.  

H.B. 1612 will add in more accountability to the reporting of child abuse and neglect in New Hampshire. It will set in place safeguards to help protect innocent children and families from going through the trauma of an unnecessary governmental child abuse or neglect investigation by making it harder for bad actors to file false reports of abuse and neglect. Additionally, H.B. 1612 will create penalties for false reports of child abuse, further protecting innocent children and families. This bill will help to keep bad actors from weaponizing the system against innocent families.

H.B. 1431, the Parents’ Bill of Rights, will enshrine into New Hampshire law that parental rights are a fundamental right, as the U.S. Supreme Court has held for the past 100 years. Additionally, H.B. 1431 will protect parents and children in New Hampshire’s public schools by allowing parents to make critical decisions regarding their own children.  Passage of this bill into law will make New Hampshire the 15th state in the nation to protect parental rights as a fundamental right in the state code. In addition to asking that you support H.B. 1431, I respectfully request that you accept Senator Bob Guida’s amendment to restore protections for parental rights when it comes to medical decisions for their minor children. 

You can read our letter of support for H.B. 1431 here, and our letter of support for H.B. 1612 here.

Thank you for protecting children by standing with us for freedom.

Sincerely,

Will Estrada

President
ParentalRights.org