Action Alert: Two Critical Bills to Receive Vote in New Hampshire House Committee on March 1!
We’re excited to let you know that two important bills will be heard in executive session in the New Hampshire House of Representatives’ Children and Family Law Committee on Tuesday, March 1.
The Committee will vote on H.B. 1612, a bill that will change New Hampshire’s child abuse and neglect reporting laws from anonymous to confidential. This critical bill will protect innocent children and families from going through the trauma of an unnecessary governmental investigation and will ensure that the Division of Children, Youth and Families (DCYF) can focus on investigating true instances of child abuse and neglect. The bill will also create penalties for someone who knowingly makes a false report of child abuse.
The Committee will also vote on H.B. 1431, the Parents’ Bill of Rights, which will
- enshrine into New Hampshire law that parental rights are a fundamental right,
- provide curriculum transparency to parents of children in New Hampshire public schools, and
- provide additional protections for families in New Hampshire.
We encourage you to email all the members of the House Children and Family Law Committee by sending an email to CFL@leg.state.nh.us
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 House Children and Family Law Committee:
As one of your constituents, I ask that you support H.B. 1612 and H.B. 1431. Both of these bills will protect children and families in New Hampshire.
H.B. 1612 will change New Hampshire’s reporting of child abuse and neglect from anonymous to confidential. It will protect innocent children and families from going through the trauma of an unnecessary governmental child abuse or neglect investigation. Instead of pursuing false reports, New Hampshire’s Division for Children, Youth and Families will now be able to focus on investigating true instances of child abuse and neglect. Finally, H.B. 1612 will create penalties for false reports of child abuse, further protecting innocent children and families. This bill will 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.
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 standing with us for freedom.
Sincerely,
Will Estrada
President
ParentalRights.org