Parental Rights are Advancing in Pennsylvania!

We have been busy in Pennsylvania this year. With a lot of momentum behind us and a lot of opportunities ahead of us, we need your support to continue our vital efforts in your Commonwealth.

First, we worked with allies from across the political spectrum to oppose House Bill 1737, which would have allowed Child Welfare Services to ask a judge to force a drug test on any parent who was so much as accused of child neglect. No level of evidence, no probable cause would be necessary. A simple, anonymous phone call with an accusation would be enough to haul a family before a judge, threatening the sanctity of their home and the privacy of their children. 

To defeat this bill, we worked with partners as diverse as the Women’s Law Project, ACLU of Pennsylvania,  the Home School Legal Defense Association, and Community Legal Services of Philadelphia to oppose its passage. So far, families in Pennsylvania remain safe from this level of intrusive overreach. You can read our letter of opposition here.

And we didn’t just play defense. We went on offense. We were proud to work with Senators Doug Mastriano, Kristin Phillips-Hill, Judy Ward, and Michele Brooks to draft and introduce Senate Bill 996, the Parental Rights Protection Act. We worked behind the scenes with Senate leadership to ensure that S.B. 996 was a priority, and when S.B. 996 had a committee hearing on October 18, Parental Rights Foundation President Will Estrada testified in support of the bill. You can read his testimony here and watch the full hearing here (Will was the very last speaker to testify, at the very end of the hearing).

We were thrilled when the Senate State Government Committee passed S.B. 996 out of committee on Monday, October 24, by a 6–4 vote. We want to thank Senators Cris Dush, Daniel Laughlin, Doug Mastriano, Kristin Phillips-Hill, Patrick Stefano, and David Argall for standing with parents and voting “yes” on S.B. 996.

Although there will not be time to pass S.B. 996 out of the Pennsylvania Senate before the end of the session, this critical committee vote shows that the Pennsylvania Senate leadership stands with parents to ensure that the traditional, primary role of parents in the upbringing, education, and care of their children is protected in Pennsylvania law going into next year’s legislative session.

Parental rights are winning in the Keystone State. But all of these projects take time, hard work, and financial resources.

Would you be willing to stand with us and visit ParentalRightsFoundation.org/donate to make your best donation to invest in these continuing efforts? All donations are tax-deductible, and they will ensure that we are able to fight nationally and in Pennsylvania to protect parental rights. 

You know that those who want to control your children will not stop coming after you, your child’s greatest defense. And that is why we will not stop standing with you to defend your family.

So please take a moment today to support our efforts as you are able.

Thank you as always for standing with us and for your children.

Sincerely,

Michael Ramey
Executive Director