By a 7 to 1 margin, Greenland residents said no to SB 272, the so called “parental bill of rights” initiative, but both chambers of the NH legislature insist on passing this bill in spite of statewide opposition, as expressed by the overwhelming negative response this received from NH voters. Thousands weighed in on this bill before the Senate voted to approve SB 272.
The bill is coming to the House this week and I’ll vote against it.
Proponents say the bill includes additional rights to address current concerns related to gender identity that have only recently emerged as relevant issues for legislation. Passage of this bill would assure parents that their rights are well respected and would prevent a likely mass exodus of students whose parents would seek alternative educational options that would respect their rights. A failure to value truth and parental authority, as this bill does, will inevitably lead to dysfunctional governments.
Democratic leaders of the House Education Committee say that reiterating existing parental rights is not the intent of the bill. This bill targets transgender and gender nonconforming students under the guise of “parental rights.” It singles out those students for special surveillance and reporting upon parental inquiry.
Singling out some students is a deeply concerning and unconstitutional requirement that violates the principle that all students come before the law as equals. Nearly every student will explore their identity in some shape or form that may not meet the approval of their parents. Teens do have rights of privacy.
There will be a very close vote on this on May 18. It will be critical for Democrats to attend this important session.
On the Educational Freedom Accounts (EFA) the Senate Education Committee voted to recommend a bill that would expand the Education Freedom Account program by increasing the income threshold. The committee voted 3-2 down party lines to approve House Bill 367, which just barely passed the House last month on a 187-184 vote.
The bill is one of three House bills to be approved on the new school voucher-like program that has been way over budget for the first two years of operation. HB 367 would increase parents’ income threshold for a child to be eligible for the program from300 percent of the federal poverty level to 350 percent or from $82.410 to $105,000 for a family of four.
I have consistently voted against any expansion of the EFA program, and will continue to do so.