By State Sen. Daryl Schmitt (R-Jasper)
Raising a family is arguably one of the most difficult, yet rewarding, jobs for any adult.
I believe families are the foundation of a successful society and important decisions about how children are raised should be made by their parents, not the government, and parents have the right to raise their children how they see fit, as long as the children are not being abused or neglected.
That's why I supported Senate Enrolled Act 143 this year, which elevates parental rights to the same level as rights like freedom of speech and freedom of religion.
Under this law, parents have the fundamental right to direct their child's upbringing, religious instruction, education and health care. The government cannot deny a parent access to information related to their child's health care or social, emotional and behavioral well-being, and government employees cannot advise, direct or coerce a child to withhold information from their parents.
This law does not allow a parent to abuse or neglect their child, and the prohibition from withholding information from a parent does not apply to a parent under criminal investigation where law enforcement has requested the information be withheld.
Protecting these rights through state law is a common-sense move that supports families across the state and ensures parents can make important decisions on behalf of their children. I was pleased to support this new law and happy to report it received bipartisan support in the General Assembly.
As always, constituents can reach out to me with any questions or concerns by email at s48@iga.in.gov or by phone at 1-800-382-9467.
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State Sen. Daryl Schmitt (R-Jasper) represents Senate District 48,
which includes Crawford, Dubois, Gibson, Perry, Pike and Spencer counties.
Click here to download a high-resolution photo.
