House Bill 5912: Requiring All Homeschoolers to Annually Notify Local Superintendent

Author:
Rep. Brenda Clack

Summary:
House Bill 5912 has been introduced. It would require all homeschoolers to register with the local superintendent. The bill also would require homeschoolers to turn in the names and ages of each child who is being educated at home and the name and address of legal guardians or parents doing the educating. The environment towards homeschoolers in the House is very hostile. Many legislatures come out against homeschooling while they were discussing a bill which would require the compulsory attendance age to be lowered. They cited lack of accountability as a need to regulate homeschoolers.

Thank you for your calls and emails! They are causing quite a stir in the legislature.

The office of one of H.B. 5912’s co-sponsors said: “there is no other group in Lansing that the representative and his colleagues have found more passionat…than homeschoolers (we’re hearing from homeschoolers who don’t even live in our district!).” One report has indicated that H.B. 5912 will likely never get out of committee this session, and would thus have to be reintroduced next session.

Other co-sponsors have indicated to their callers that they are wavering on whether to continue their support. However, keep your calls coming so that this bill will not “see the light of day.” We hope the affect of these calls will make it clear to the sponsoring representatives that we do not want this bill being introduced next year, either.

Status:

3/19/2008

(House) Introduced, referred to the Committee on Education.

HSLDA’s Position:
HSLDA is opposed this bill.

Action Requested:
1. Contact the primary sponsor of H.B. 5912, Representative Brenda Clack and give her this message in your own words:

“Please withdraw H.B. 5912. Homeschooling is successful and working in Michigan. Since it is not broken, it does not need to be fixed.”

Contact information for Representative Clack:
Rep. Brenda Clack: 517-373-8808, brendaclack@house.mi.gov

2. Please call the co-sponsors of the bill and give them this message:

“Please withdraw your support for H.B. 5912. This bill infringes on the freedom of parents to homeschool their children. Homeschooling is successful and working well in Michigan. We have fought hard to be free and want to remain this way.”

We recommend that in addition to calling the assigned representatives, that you also send an email to co-sponsors listed below send a blind copy to elerts@inch.org.

Co-sponsors of H.B. 5912

If your last name begins with A-I, please call the following members:

Joan Bauer: 517-373-0826, joanbauer@house.mi.gov
Bob Constan: 517-373-0849, bobconstan@house.mi.gov
Robert Dean: 517-373-2668, robertdean@house.mi.gov
Kate Ebli: 517-373-2617, KateEbli@house.mi.gov
Barbara Farrah: 517-373-0845, barbarafarrah@house.mi.gov
Richard Hammel: 517-373-7557, richardhammel@house.mi.gov
Ted Hammon: 517-373-3906, tedhammon@house.mi.gov

If your last name begins with letters J-R, please call these members:

Shanelle Jackson: 517-373-1705, shanellejackson@house.mi.gov
Bert Johnson: 517-373-0144, bertjohnson@house.mi.gov
Robert Jones: 517-373-1785, robertjones@house.mi.gov
Kathleen Law: 517-373-0855, kathleenlaw@house.mi.gov
Richard LeBlanc: 517-373-2576, richardleblanc@house.mi.gov
Gabe Leland: 517-373-6990, gabeleland@house.mi.gov
Mark Meadows: 517-373-1786, markmeadows@house.mi.gov

If your last name begins with letters S-Z, please call these members:

Marc Corriveau: 517-373-3816, marccorriveau@house.mi.gov
Fred Miller: 517-373-0159, fredmiller@house.mi.gov
Gino Polidori: 517-373-0847, ginopolidori@house.mi.gov
Alma Smith: 517-373-1771, almasmith@house.mi.gov
Virgil Smith: 517-373-0589, virgilsmith@house.mi.gov
Aldo Vagnozzi: 517-373-1793, aldovagnozzi@house.mi.gov
Lisa Wojno: 517-373-2275, lisawojno@house.mi.gov

Other Resources

E-lert—March 24, 2008—Michigan: Homeschool Freedom in Michigan under Attack!

Bill Text