| From the HSLDA E-lert Service: |
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| Date: From: Subject: | 6/19/2003 9:57:56 AM Home School Legal Defense Association Ohio-New Bill Would Make Pastors Mandatory Child Abuse Reporters |
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---------------------------------------------------------------------- From the HSLDA E-lert Service... ---------------------------------------------------------------------- June 18, 2003 Dear HSLDA Members and Friends, Ohio is the latest state to file legislation that would force all pastors and priests to report suspicions of child abuse. Homeschoolers across America have managed to stop a number of these bills, reasoning that parents must be able to turn to their pastors if they sin against their children. Making pastors into agents of the state keeps parents from getting the help they need. We need your help to stop Ohio House Bill 207, which would turn every member of the clergy into a "mandatory reporter" of child abuse. ACTION REQUESTED Please contact each member of the House Committee on Juvenile and Family Law. Say, "Please vote 'No' on House Bill 207. Pastors need to be able to counsel people with family problems. Don't make them agents of the state." Juvenile And Family Law Committee Members: Michael Gilb, (Chair), (614) 466-3819, district76@ohr.state.oh.us Kathleen Walcher, (Vice Chair), (614) 466-9628, district58@ohr.state.oh.us Nancy P. Hollister, (614) 644-8728, district93@ohr.state.oh.us Linda Reidelbach, (614) 644-6030, district21@ohr.state.oh.us John Widowfield, (614) 466-1177, district42@ohr.state.oh.us John R. Willamowski, (614) 466-9624, district04@ohr.state.oh.us Bryan C. Williams, (614) 644-5085, district41@ohr.state.oh.us Sandra Harwood, (614) 466-3488, district65@ohr.state.oh.us Todd Book, (614) 466-2124, district89@ohr.state.oh.us Lance Mason, (614) 466-5441, district08@ohr.state.oh.us Shirley A. Smith, (614) 466-7954, district10@ohr.state.oh.us BACKGROUND The sex scandal in the Catholic Church has called a number of states to propose legislation to solve that problem. Unfortunately, most states have gone too far. Instead of permitting pastors to report child abuse, this law would require all pastors to report all suspicions of abuse. This means that the parents who most need pastoral help will be afraid to seek it out. When legislators understand that families need pastoral help, but will not seek out such help if pastors are mandatory reporters, they have been willing to vote against such laws. Your call to your legislator is crucial at this time. Please call now to keep pastors from being turned into agents of the state. Very truly yours, Scott W. Somerville HSLDA Staff Attorney {{JoinAd}} ---------------------------------------------------------------------- The HSLDA E-lert Service is a service of: Home School Legal Defense Association P.O. Box 3000 Purcellville, Virginia 20134 Phone: (540) 338-5600 Fax: (540) 338-2733 Email: info@hslda.org Web: http://www.hslda.org ---------------------------------------------------------------------- How To Subscribe: - Subscribe to the HSLDA E-lert Service at our website: https://secure.hslda.org/hslda/elert/account.asp?Process=Subscribe - Or send an email with name and complete mailing address to: subscribe@hslda.org ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Subscription Information: - You subscribed to the HSLDA E-lert Service as: {{Email}} - To unsubscribe from the HSLDA E-lert Service send an email from the email address you want to unsubscribe to: unsubscribe@hslda.org - To change your email address or make other changes to your subscription, visit the HSLDA E-lert Service account web page at: https://secure.hslda.org/hslda/elert/account.asp ---------------------------------------------------------------------- POSTMASTERS: This message is being sent to the most recent address we have for our subscribers. If this is an invalid email address or you have other problems, please reply to webmaster@hslda.org. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- DISCLAIMER: This is considered a private and confidential message from HSLDA to its bonafide HSLDA E-lert Service subscribers. HSLDA cannot attest to the authenticity of copies posted, forwarded, or sent by any party other than HSLDA. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- NOTE: Please do not reply or otherwise use this email address; hslda@hslda.org is for broadcast purposes only and is not intended to receive incoming messages. We cannot reply to any email sent to this address. If you have comments or questions, please send email to info@hslda.org or call HSLDA at 540-338-5600. HSLDA members can also email staff directly through the Members website at http://members.hslda.org/contact.asp. Thank you for your cooperation. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- | |
