'Parents' rights' law proposed for Kentucky. Critics worry it could impact child safety - Yahoo News
A proposed law to protect parents' rights in Kentucky is raising alarm among critics who say it could upend efforts to protect children from abuse and neglect, interfere with education and lead to more lawsuits with the state liable for costs.
Terry Brooks, executive director of Kentucky Youth Advocates, a non-partisan group, said the bill, known as the "Parents' Rights Protection Act," could have significant, unintended consequences in areas including child protection.
"Parental rights are clearly important and must be upheld," Brooks said. "However, those rights should not come with a cost of failing to protect children from abuse or neglect."
Sen. Stephen West, R-Paris, said his Senate Bill 40 is meant to ensure parents rights are "highly protected" from governmental intrusion, though he acknowledged he was not aware of any significant problems in Kentucky.
"This is really a preemptive attempt to stop things that may be coming along," he said at Thursday's hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee.
The bill comes amid a proliferation of parents' rights legislation in other states, including Florida and Texas, and federal legislation introduced by Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., whose “Parents’ Bill of Rights" is meant to give parents more control over public school curriculum.
The Kentucky measure, which passed the committee Thursday and now goes to the full Senate, is drawing fire from parties ranging from Sen. Danny Carroll, a Republican from Paducah, to the American Civil Liberties Union of Kentucky and the Fairness Campaign, an LGBTQ rights group.
Its provisions — including expanding parents' right to sue — have Carroll and others concerned.
"I think we're going to push people way from helping kids, and I don't think that's a good thing," said Carroll, who spoke against the measure at the hearing. "I think this bill will make it less likely for people to get involved."
source: https://news.yahoo.com/parents-rights-law-proposed-kentucky-102821314.html
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