HF22

The legislative bill is titled "Parents Bill of Rights." It is designed to affirm and protect the rights of parents in Minnesota regarding the upbringing, education, and health care of their minor children (defined as individuals 17 years old or younger). Key provisions include:

1. Parents have the fundamental right to direct their child's education, whether in public, charter, private, or home schools. They have full access to their child’s school records.

2. Parents can direct their child’s upbringing and make decisions concerning moral or religious training.

3. They have the right to informed consent regarding medical decisions for the child. This includes choosing health care providers and accepting or declining medical treatments.

4. Parents must consent in writing before any biometric scans, pharmaceutical interventions, surgical procedures, and recordings (audio or video) of their child are made, unless there’s a medical emergency or other exceptions related to school security and instruction.

5. Parents should be notified immediately if any governmental employee or agency suspects a criminal offense has been committed against their child by someone other than the parent.

6. Any attempts to encourage a child to withhold information from their parents, or to discriminate against parents for exercising their rights, will be grounds for disciplinary action against the responsible employee or agency.

The bill also stipulates that this declaration of rights does not permit child abuse or neglect, override other legal regulations, or limit the state’s agencies from performing their duties within legal bounds. Lastly, it affirms that parents have inherent rights that are broader than those expressly stated in the bill, unless legally waived or terminated.