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| Date: From: Subject: | 4/24/2007 2:53:59 PM Home School Legal Defense Association Texas: Calls Needed to Restore Parental Rights |
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====================================================================== From the HSLDA E-lert Service... ====================================================================== April 24, 2007 Texas: Calls Needed to Restore Parental Rights Dear HSLDA members and friends: Under current Texas law, grandparents may sue for court-ordered visitation, even if the parents object to the visitation. This means that even if parents believe it would be best for their children to not see their grandparents, the grandparents could petition the court and force the parents to give the grandparents visitation. This law has been held unconstitutional by the Texas Supreme Court, and a bill has been introduced which will bring the law back in line with the constitution, as well as restore the rights of parents to direct the upbringing of their children. H.B. 3971 has been introduced by Representative Bryan Hughes and has a hearing before the House Juvenile Justice and Family Issues Committee. This bill will do several things: > Provide the court with discretion to determine a child's best interest by amending the command language of "shall" to the permissive language of "may"; > Require an actual finding of parental unfitness before the state may intrude into the parent-child relationship; > Mandates that "special weight" be given to a parent's decision regarding a grandparent's access to a child; and > Gives long-term financial protection to families who are unconstitutionally sued by a grandparent. Home School Legal Defense Association Legislative Counsel for Texas Tom Sanders will testify for the bill at the hearing. We need your calls so that the members of the House Juvenile Justice and Family Issues Committee restore the rights of parents in Texas. REQUESTED ACTION Please call members of the House Juvenile Justice and Family Issues Committee by Wednesday morning and give them this message: "Please vote in favor of H.B. 3971. This bill restores to parents the right to direct the upbringing of their children." You can also use some of the above points in your message. MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE JUVENILE JUSTICE AND FAMILY ISSUES COMMITTEE: Chair Harold V. Dutton, Jr. -- (512) 463-0510 Vice Chair Craig Eiland -- (512) 463-0502 Rep. Valinda Bolton -- (512) 463-0652 Joe Farias -- (512) 463-0714 Jessica Farrar -- (512) 463-0620 Yvonne Gonzalez Toureilles -- (512) 463-0645 Ana Hernandez -- (512) 463-0614 Mark Strama -- (512) 463-0821 Allen Vaught -- (512) 463-0244 BACKGROUND For the history and text of this bill, please click here http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=4029 Thank you for standing for the rights of parents. Sincerely, Christopher J. Klicka HSLDA Senior Counsel ---------------------------------------------------------------------- -> Who are the nation's best lobbyists? We don't know that this has ever been determined; but we do know that HSLDA's National Center for Home Education is the only national organization lobbying on behalf of homeschoolers on Capitol Hill. More reasons to join HSLDA... http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=1102 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ====================================================================== The HSLDA E-lert Service is a service of: Home School Legal Defense Association P.O. 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