| From the HSLDA E-lert Service: |
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| Date: From: Subject: | 2/8/2010 4:51:06 PM Home School Legal Defense Association Ohio--Calls Needed to Prevent Unreasonable Government Interference |
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====================================================================== From the HSLDA E-lert Service... ====================================================================== February 8, 2010 Ohio--Calls Needed to Prevent Unreasonable Government Interference with Ohio Families! Dear HSLDA Members and Friends, Tomorrow, the Civil and Commercial Law Committee will hear supporting testimony of the massive 565-page bill, H.B. 371. This bill restructures Ohio's current abuse and neglect code and creates a "one strike and you're out" framework that would increase state intervention in the parent-child relationship in Ohio. The bill also contains language that would result in an essential "ban" on corporal discipline in Ohio. HSLDA believes that every child should be provided a loving and nurturing environment by their parents. We agree that the state has a role to play in protecting innocent children from irresponsible parents or others. This bill goes too far in extending government authority and would create a dangerous framework that would undermine family autonomy and put children at risk. Ohio's current child protective system is overloaded-- passing this law would put an even greater strain on it to the detriment of children who legitimately require state assistance and protection. Please take action as requested below. ACTION REQUESTED: Please contact members of the committee and your own legislator. In your own words give them the following message: "The current laws regarding abuse and neglect in Ohio are adequate to protect children who are at risk of harm. H.B. 371 creates a "one strike and you're out" policy that would increase state intervention in the family and put children at risk who legitimately require state protection. The proposal is misguided and places too much authority in the hands of state workers to interfere with Ohio families. Please oppose this dangerous piece of legislation." Because this bill affects all families in Ohio you do not need to identify yourself as a homeschooling parent. If your name begins with A-L contact 1-7 on the list; M-Z contact 8-13. Please contact your own legislator if he or she is on this list as well. To find out who your legislator is visit http://www.hslda.org/toolbox THE COMMITTEE: 1. Representative Mark D. Okey, Chair (614) 466-1464 district61@ohr.state.oh.us 2. Representative Dennis Murray, Vice Chair (614) 644-6011 district80@ohr.state.oh.us 3. Representative T. Todd Book (614) 466-2124 district89@ohr.state.oh.us 4. Representative Stephen Dyer (614) 466-1790 district43@ohr.state.oh.us 5. Representative Mike Foley (614) 466-3350 district14@ohr.state.oh.us 6. Representative Sandra Stabile Harwood (614) 466-3488 district65@ohr.state.oh.us 7. Representative Michael Skindell (614) 466-5921 district13@ohr.state.oh.us 8. Representative W. Scott Oelslager (614) 752-2438 district51@ohr.state.oh.us 9. Representative William P. Coley, II (614) 466-8550 district55@ohr.state.oh.us 10. Representative Matt Huffman (614) 466-9624 district04@ohr.state.oh.us 11. Representative Robert Mecklenborg (614) 466-8258 district30@ohr.state.oh.us 12. Representative Peter Stautberg (614) 644-6886 district34@ohr.state.oh.us 13. Representative Gerald L. Stebelton (614) 466-8100 district05@ohr.state.oh.us BACKGROUND This bill creates seven new categories of when a child is in need of protective services. The bill uses vague terms that would allow government officials great latitude for subjective interpretation. This would significantly expand state authority to remove children from the home or to interfere in Ohio families. The bill defines "lacking legally required education" to be when a child of compulsory school age has not regularly attended school, has not received a legitimate excuse, and has not received other education services as required by state law. The bill allows a "mandatory reporter" to inform an appropriate public children services agency when they believe that "the agency's intervention may help a child obtain legally required education." Mandatory reporters include doctors and health care professionals! The bill explicitly justifies intervention for the use of corporal discipline and includes new categories of harm such as "emotional injury," "lacking necessary health care," "lacking care or supervision," and "exposure to substance misuse." This kind of vague language leaves the door open for subjective interpretation. H.B. 371 also allows law enforcement officers to take a child into custody when there are "reasonable grounds to believe that the child's parent ... committed an act or omission that indicates that the child is a child in need of protective services." No person should be allowed to take another person into custody without probable cause that harm has or imminently will occur. This kind of language undermines the responsibility and authority of parents and places the state in a position to determine what is best for children. Please read Attorney Jason Fuller's analysis of this bill at our website http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=7645 to learn more about why you should oppose this bill. Thank you for your strong support of freedom in the Buckeye state! Sincerely, Michael P. Donnelly, Esq. Staff Attorney ---------------------------------------------------------------------- -> "I saved my entire membership fee with one discount" "We've been a Liberty Mutual customer for over 12 years. We called and asked about our HSLDA member discount and they lowered our premium by approx $95 per year...coincidentally the same amount as our HSLDA annual membership fee. Thought you'd want to know!!'" 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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. ====================================================================== | |
