Recommended Votes:
CACR 12 ITL
CARC 9 OTP
HB 542 OTP
HB 416 OTP
HB 429 OTP
HB 329 OTP
OTP = Out To Pass
ITL = Inexpedient To Legislate
Please phone or email your state representatives as soon as possible. These bills will be voted upon as early as Tuesday, March 15th. Ask for their support on these Parental Rights bills. Use the "Find a legislator" link on the right to locate your representative.
CACR 12 State Control of Education Amendment
OPPOSE - Ought To Pass
Eliminates local control of education in quixotic quest to resolve Claremont funding crisis.
If the legislature does not have the authority to require that a Protestant teacher to instruct from a Catholic prayer book, then it does not have the authority to require a district teacher to instruct from a state standardized curriculum. Both enjoy equal protection under Art. 6 Pt. I of the NH Constitution.
Protect our precious Bill of Rights and keep parents in control!
CACR 9 Parental Rights Amendment
OPPOSE - Inexpedient To Legislate
The right to keep and bear arms, Art. 2a, was added in 1982 to explicitly enumerate the natural right already covered by Art. 2 in response to several efforts to degrade gun rights in NH. Enumeration of parental rights is needed to set a bright line and not only stop the violation of fundamentally protected parental rights, but also guide the legislature forward so it can amend existing statutory law to coincide with the constitutional right.
It's time that NH act in concordance with 80 years of U.S. Supreme Court decisions that have consistently upheld the primary, natural authority of parents over their children, to make key determinations in their formative lives, by sending Art. 2b to the people, so that the parents of NH can insist that the constitution should protect their proper role with a clear statement of fact. Parents have the natural right to control the health, education and welfare of their children.
HB 542 Parental Rights of Conscience wrt Instruction
SUPPORT - Ought To Pass
Parents have a right to control the education and instruction of their children. This bill clarifies in statute the constitutional right of parents to conscientiously object to materials, or programs, taught in the public school system. Parents already have the right to a voice in alternate learning programs for children over the age of 16, (RSA 193:1,I,(h)), and this bill clearly states that this right shall be extended to all children ages 6-18. The NH Constitution states in Part First, Article 4 that the right of Conscience is an unalienable right, and this bill specifies that this right applies to parent-directed education of their children. This bill codifies in statute the common practice seen in some, but not all, local school districts where parents have the right to provide alternatives to a public school program where the parent has objections; this includes conscientious objections to particular books, materials, units or classes.
For example: parents may object to a particular sex education course or specific books being used in the curriculum. Recently (12/2010), the town of Bedford had a controversy over a book used in the finance course. The book, Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By In America by Barbara Ehrenreich promoted the abuse of controlled substances and mocked Jesus which was offensive to both the parents and the student. The book in question not only had political propaganda violating the conscience of the parents, the questionable material was taking time from teaching valuable personal finance skills. Had HB542 as amended been in statute, the controversy could have been avoided.
HB 416 Parental Rights of Conscientious Exemption for Vaccines
OPPOSE - Inexpedient to Legislate
Given that each and every vaccine today requires a signed waiver of liability from the parent, it's problematic that the decision to accept any of these vaccines is still being forced upon parents. This is another area where voluntary informed consent would be more appropriate and respectful of parental rights.
HB 429 Parental Rights to Remove 16yo from School
SUPPORT - Ought To Pass
Superintendents currently enjoy this authority to approve alternative plans for 16 year olds who wish to withdraw from school. This bill returns this authority to parents where it belongs.
HB 329 Parental Notification for Abortions on Minors
SUPPORT - Ought To Pass
This bill ensures that a parent of a minor child is notified prior to an abortion taking place, with certain exceptions: (1) a medical emergency exists and there is not time to provide the required notice; (2) the parent certifies in writing that they have been notified; (3) a court of competent jurisdiction determines that the child is mature and capable of giving informed consent; and (4) a court of competent jurisdiction determines that it is the best interest of the child.
This bill ensures the confidentiality of all proceedings and ensures a speedy process. This bill: (1) it is the fairest and most accessible judicial by-pass system that has ever been proposed in NH or any other state; (2) it will not negatively affect the health or safety of any children in NH; (3) it reinforces the legislature’s belief that parents are the most important part of a child’s life and are necessary to protect the children from their own immaturity; (4) it fosters the family structure and preserves it as a viable social unit; and (5) it brings New Hampshire in line with 43 other states that have passed such laws to protect their children.
