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| Date: From: Subject: | 2/17/2005 4:34:39 PM Home School Legal Defense Association Texas--Calls Needed Now to Stop a Bill that Endangers Parental Rights |
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====================================================================== From the HSLDA E-lert Service... ====================================================================== February 17, 2005 Texas--Calls Needed Now to Stop a Bill that Endangers Parental Rights Dear HSLDA members and friends: Introduced by Senator Nelson, Senate Bill 6 makes changes to the child welfare code of Texas. Upon reviewing this very lengthy bill, we have discovered that it harms parental rights. First, SB 6 makes it a criminal offense for any person to interfere in a departmental investigation. If that person takes, retains, or conceals the child, and the action is interpreted as interfering with the investigation, they can be found guilty of a Class B misdemeanor. We are concerned that if a parent simply stands on their Fourth Amendment rights and refuses a social worker entry to their home to investigate, that action could be prosecuted criminally. This would violate the constitutional rights of families. Secondly, this bill would open the door for unannounced visits and monitoring by social workers of families with adopted children. Under the law, children who are adopted become that family's child. The same Fourth Amendment and parental rights apply to those families with adopted children. This bill would allow for monitoring and visitation of families with adopted children by social workers. This bill is scheduled for a hearing in the Senate Health and Human Services Committee on Tuesday, February 22, and HSLDA Legislative Council Tom Sanders will be giving testimony to expose these and other problems with SB 6. We believe that if Texas members call the committee now, we will be in a better position to offer substitute amendments which will protect the rights of parents. Please call the committee members listed below in order to protect parental rights in Texas. ACTION REQUESTED Please call as many members of the committee as possible, as well as Senator Nelson, the sponsor of SB 6. Give them this message: "Please vote against Senate Bill 6, in its present form, because it fails to protect the parental and Fourth Amendment rights of families." Senator Jane Nelson Chairperson, Senate Health and Human Services Committee (512) 463-0112 Members of the Committee: Vice-Chair: Senator Kyle Janek (512) 463-0117 Senator Ken Armbrister (512) 463-0118 Senator John Carona (512) 463-0116 Senator Bob Deuell (512) 463-0102 Senator Mario Gallegos, Jr. (512) 463-0106 Senator Jon Lindsay (512) 463-0107 Senator Royce West (512) 463-0123 Senator Judith Zaffirini (512) 463-0121 BACKGROUND Although the intent of SB 6 is well meaning, this bill is being pushed quickly through the Legislature. We hope the calls of Texans to the committee will slow down the process so that a reasonable discussion and debate can take place. Thank you for taking a moment to make these calls. Sincerely, Christopher J. Klicka HSLDA Senior Counsel ---------------------------------------------------------------------- -> Have you ever yelled into the wind, only to hear the sound of your voice blown back at you? It's hard to be heard in the midst of a storm. Trying to influence federal legislation is much like yelling to be heard while standing in a fierce wind. Yet when 80,000 voices join together, they become a powerful force that cannot be drowned out. Join HSLDA to be heard above the tempests that threaten homeschool freedoms. More reasons to join HSLDA... http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=1939 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ====================================================================== The HSLDA E-lert Service is a service of: Home School Legal Defense Association P.O. 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