On Tuesday, the State Senate passed a bill known as the Parents’ Bill of Rights. The bill delineates fifteen rights parents have related to the medical care, the education, and the mental health of children. Importantly the bill notes that in addition to these stated rights, parents have other inalienable rights not mentioned. The language of the bill makes it clear that the state cannot arbitrarily infringe on parents’ rights. Democrat senators railed against the bill as being unnecessary and targeting certain entities. The bill passed on party lines.

This bill passed earlier in the state Assembly. It will now go to the governor. Frankly, he should sign this bill, but his track record isn’t encouraging. It’s sad that we need such a bill to protect parents and their children from the overreaches of the state and its agents, but we do. We’ve seen too much lately with public schools especially that tells us it’s time to clearly protect the rights of parents.