HB1516: "Parents' Bill of Rights Act"; enact and bring forward provisions related to.

Legislative Summary

An Act To Establish The "parents' Bill Of Rights Act"; To Define Terminology Used Herein; To Establish That A Parent's Liberty To Direct The Upbringing, Education, Health Care And Mental Health Of His Or Her Child Is A Fundamental Right; To Prohibit The State Or Any Political Subdivision Thereof From Substantially Burdening A Parent's Fundamental Right Without Demonstrating That The Burden Is Required By A Compelling Governmental Interest; To Provide That All Parental Rights Are Exclusively Reserved To A Parent Of A Child Without Obstruction By Or Interference From The State Or Any Political Subdivision Thereof; To Provide That Abuse Or Neglect Of A Child By A Parent Or The Action Or Decision Of A Parent That Would End Life Are Not Authorized By This Act; To Prohibit Employees Of This State And Any Political Subdivision Thereof, Except For Law Enforcement Personnel, From Encouraging Or Coercing A Child To Withhold Information From The Child's Parent; To Further Prohibit Such Employees From Withholding Information That Is Relevant To A Child's Physical, Emotional Or Mental Health From A Child's Parent; To Require The Board Of Education Of A School District To Develop And Adopt A Policy To Promote The Involvement Of Parents Of Children Enrolled In The District's Schools; To Prescribe The Minimum Requirement Procedures To Be Addressed By The Policy; To Provide The Board Of Education Of A School District With The Discretion To Adopt A Policy To Provide To Parents The Information In An Electronic Form; To Require Parents To Submit A Written Or Electronic Request For The Child's Information To The School Principal Or The Superintendent Of The School District; To Require The School Principal Or Superintendent To Provide The Requested Information To The Parents Within Ten Days Of Receiving The Request, Or Submit To The Parent A Written Explanation Of The Reasons For The Denial Of The Requested Information; To Prescribe The Process By Which A Parent May Submit A Formal Consideration Of The Request Of Information With The School Board If The Requested Information Is Not Received Five Days After Submitting The Initial Request; To Establish A Cause Of Action For Violation Of This Act; To Provide That This Act Shall Serve As A Defense To Any Cause Of Action That Is Raised As A Result Of A Violation Thereof; To Provide That The Rules Of Construction Shall Provide Broad Protection Of A Parent's Fundamental Rights As Inalienable Unless Those Rights Have Been Legally Waived Or Legally Terminated; To Bring Forward Sections 37-3-49, 37-13-173, 37-15-3, 37-7-301, 37-13-171 And 43-21-105, Mississippi Code Of 1972, For Purposes Of Possible Amendments; And For Related Purposes.