Author: NHN Board

It is done! SB 314 is now law and goes into effect October 1, 2013. Thank you to every single person who took the time to call, email, attend hearings, testify, and forward our posts to your friends and family in response to our “Action Requests”. Your efforts helped get this important bill passed in just one legislative session. It could not have happened without you!

In celebration,

Frank Schnorbus, Barbara Dragon, Kelley Radow, Elissa Wahl, Ray Poole & Laura Siegel
ParentalRights.org/NEVADA Legislative Liaisons

Senate Bill 314 Summary: providing that the right of a parent to make decisions regarding the care, custody and management of his or her child is a fundamental right.

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEVADA, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEMBLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Chapter 126 of NRS is hereby amended by adding thereto a new section to read as follows:
1. The liberty interest of a parent in the care, custody and management of the parent’s child is a fundamental right.
2. Nothing in this section shall be construed to:
(a) Authorize a parent to engage in any unlawful conduct or to abuse or neglect a child in violation of the laws of this State.
(b) Prohibit courts, law enforcement officers or employees of an agency which provides child welfare services from acting in their official capacity within the scope of their authority.
3. Except as otherwise provided by specific statute, the provisions of this section apply to any statute, local ordinance or regulation and the implementation of such statute, local ordinance or regulation regardless of whether such statute, local ordinance or regulation was adopted or effective before, on or after October 1, 2013.
4. As used in this section, “agency which provides child welfare services” has the meaning ascribed to it in NRS 432B.030.

The 77th Session of the Nevada Legislature is now over. Status update on bills NHN testified on with links to NELIS where you can read NHN or ParentalRights.org/NEVADA’s testimony:

SB 314 – “Fundamental Parental Rights” NHN supported, bill PASSED and has been sent to the Governor for signature or veto. Please see our note below dated 6/2/13 for CALL TO ACTION

SB 182 – would have mandated that all Kindergartens in every public school be “full-day” in Nevada and lowered the compulsory attendance age from 7 to 5. NHN opposed, bill DIED in the Senate Finance Committee without action. Nevada parents are still free to decide WHEN their child begins school.

SB 445 – The Governor’s “Scholarship Bill” for low income students to attend private or home school. NHN supported the concept but had to oppose the bill. Unfortunately language in the bill would have put homeschoolers using this option back under the authority/approval of the local school district which is unacceptable. NHN met with the Governor’s office and submitted an amendment request to fix this problem but the bill DIED in the Senate Finance Committee without a vote.

AB 203 – An unconstitutional bill that would have allowed grandparents to sue married parents for visitation with their grandchildren against the parents wishes. NHN opposed the bill and it DIED in the Assembly Judiciary Committee without a vote.

SB 192 – Religious Freedom Bill. NHN supported but the bill DIED in the Assembly Judiciary Committee.

Calls/emails to the Governor needed to support SB 314 – Fundamental Parental Rights

Senate Bill 314 Summary: Provides that the right of parents to make choices regarding the upbringing, education and care of their children is a fundamental right.
Status: SB 314 passed both the NV Senate and Assembly and has been delivered to Governor Sandoval; awaiting his signature.

Action Requested

1. Call, fax or email Governor Sandoval and encourage him to sign SB 314. In your own words, explain that “SB 314 is a non-partisan bill, intended for the courts, and defines the right of parents to raise their children as a fundamental right. If signed, the law will protect the parent-child bond from intrusion by the state unless there is a compelling reason for the government to do so.”
To Call: Carson City is (775)684-5670, Las Vegas is (702)486-2500.
To Fax: Carson City: (775)684-5683, Las Vegas Office (702)486-2505
To submit an electronic message to Governor Sandoval click here.

2. Please forward this message to your family and friends in Nevada and encourage them to support parental rights by contacting the Governor.

3. If you have not already done so please register your “FOR” vote on SB 314 on the Legislative Opinion Page.

One more step! The Assembly amendment to SB 314 was concurred with in the Senate today. To enrollment and then to the Governor!

We are pleased to announce that SB 314 passed the NV Assembly tonight! The vote was 27 yea, 14 nay and 1 excused! If your Assemblyman/woman voted for the bill (see below) please send them an email thanking them for their vote. Now the bill goes back to the Senate to be concurred with (since it was amended) and then on to the Governor. We’re still not finished and will need to call on you one more time next week for calls/emails… but for now CELEBRATE with us! This is a great victory for ALL Nevada families.

Voting FOR: Paul Aizley, Paul Anderson, Elliot Anderson, Teresa Benitez-Thompson, David Bobzien, Irene Bustamante Adams, Skip Daly, Olivia Diaz, Marilyn Dondero Loop, Wesley Duncan, Michele Fiore, Jason Frierson, Cresent Hardy, James Healey, Pat Hickey, Joseph Hogan, Marilyn Kirkpatrick, Randy Kirner, Andrew Martin, James Ohrenschall, James Oscarson, Ellen Spiegel, Michael Sprinkle, Lynn Stewart, Tyrone Thompson, Jim Wheeler, Melissa Woodbury

Voting AGAINST: Maggie Carlton, Richard Carrillo, Lesley Cohen, Andy Eisen, John Ellison, Lucy Flores, Tom Grady, John Hambrick, Ira Hansen, William Horne, Peter Livermore, Harvey Munford, Dina Neal, Heidi Swank

Excused: Peggy Pierce

Many thanks to all who helped make this possible!

Frank Schnorbus, Elissa Wahl, Barbara Dragon, Kelley Radow, Ray Poole & Laura Siegel
ParentalRights.org/NEVADA Legislative Liaisons

SB 314 was amended and had second reading in the NV Assembly late this afternoon. It is now on the General File for a third reading, debate and vote tomorrow.If you haven’t done so already, NOW is the time to call your Assemblyman/woman and ask them VOTE YES ON SB 314, see link below under #1. This bill must pass out of the Assembly by the end of business Friday, May 24th.

SB 314, will codify “the liberty interest of a parent in the care, custody and management of their child is a fundamental right” (amended in the Assembly Judiciary Committee).

ACTION REQUESTED:

1. Call/email your Assemblyman/woman and ask them to vote YES on SB 314. We have met many Legislator’s staff and all have been very gracious. They welcome constituent’s polite calls and take excellent notes. To find your representative’s contact information click here.

2. Give your opinion on SB 314 (if you have not already done so) on the Legislature Opinion Page.

3. Share this information with your friends and family! See the updated informational pamphlet on the Parental Rights page under “Legal Issues” to the right of this page.

Some legislators are still undecided on the bill… help us let them know that SB 314 is an important bill to Nevada families and their friends.

Thank you,

Frank, Barb, Kelley, Elissa, Laura & Ray
ParentalRights.org/NEVADA Legislative Liaisons

A great day today for protecting the fundamental liberty interest of parents! With some slight modifications to address opposition, SB314 passed out of the Assembly committee with 8 votes in favor, 3 opposed, and 2 absent. If you have a minute, please thank the Assemblymen/women on the Judiciary Committee who voted “Do Pass” to move this bill to a floor vote:

Assembly Judiciary Committee in favor of SB314:
Jason.Frierson@asm.state.nv.us
Olivia.Diaz@asm.state.nv.us
Andrew.Martin@asm.state.nv.us
Ellen.Spiegel@asm.state.nv.us
Wesley.Duncan@asm.state.nv.us
Michele.Fiore@asm.state.nv.us
Jim.Wheeler@asm.state.nv.us,
Tyrone.Thompson@asm.state.nv.us

Opposed were:
Carrillo
Cohen
Hansen

Absent during the vote were:
Ohrenschall
Dondero-Loop

The bill still has some hurdles, and these final stages should in no way be taken for granted! But to give you an idea of how far we’ve come consider these stages:

1) Finding a legislator willing to sponsor our bill, in this case Senator Mo Denis.
2) Getting the committee chairman to grant a hearing in the Senate Judiciary, in this case Senator Tick Segerblom.
3) Getting the committee chairman to grant a work session, once again Senator Tick Segerblom.
4) Getting a unanimous Do Pass vote from the Senate Judiciary Committee.
5) Getting a unanimous Pass from the full Senate.
6) Getting the committee chairman to grant a hearing in the Assembly Judiciary, in this case Assemblyman Jason Frierson.
7) Getting the committee chairman to grant a work session, once again Assemblyman Jason Frierson.
8) Getting a Do Pass vote from the Assembly Judiciary Committee.

Next stages are:
9) Get a vote to Pass from the full Assembly
10) Since the bill was amended, ask the Senate if they concur on the amendment. Senate vote.
11a) If the Senate agrees, the bill goes to the Governor.
11b) If the Senate doesn’t agree, the bill goes to a conference committee and a compromise is made, then the bill goes back to both the Senate and Assembly for votes. If either disagrees the bill dies. If they both agree the bill goes to the Governor.
12) The Governor must sign the bill for it to become law.

Our next ACTON CALL will be to contact your personal Assembly representative and ask them to vote YES on SB314 – step #9 above. It will probably be this Sunday or Monday, and then a reminder or two after that if the bill gets delayed. If you want to find out ahead of time who your Assembly person is, click on the legislature map at this website: http://mapserve1.leg.state.nv.us/whoRU/.

Thank you for all your support and persistence. Especially thanks for responding with your emails and calls to the legislators! IT DOES MAKE A HUGE DIFFERENCE!!!! We are pleased today to have such a success to share.

Frank Schnorbus, Elissa Wahl, Kelley Millard Radow, Barbara Dragon, Laura Siegel, Ray Poole
NHN Officers
Parentalrights.org/Nevada

HEARING on SB 182 in Senate Finance Committee, Monday, May 20th at 8:00 a.m.

SB 182 is the bill that will require that all public school Kindergartens (including charters) be “full-day” at a cost to the state of $90 million dollars over 2 years. In addition to the expense, this bill erodes the decision making process of local school boards and the concept of “local control of education” . Each school district and local school board should be the ones to decide if and where all-day Kindergarten be offered in their community… not mandated by the state.

Further, the bill lowers the compulsory attendance age for entry into school from 7 to 5 years of age (for public, private and home school children). This should be a decision made by the parent, not the government. Many children are simply not ready to attend school at age 5 or in some cases even 6. We appreciate that the bill sponsor amended the bill to partially address the issue by allowing parents to exempt their child from attendance at age 5 but we believe it is reasonable that the compulsory attendance age remain at 7 so that parents, not the state decide the age of enrollment. “CHOICE in EDUCATION” also means that parents are best suited to decide at what age their child should attend school.

ACTION REQUESTED:

1. EMAIL the Senate Finance Committee tonight! Please explain in your own words that this bill is:
a huge burden on the Nevada taxpayer,
it is not in the Governor’s budget,
it will required higher taxes that Nevadan’s can’t afford,
it takes away local control of education by mandating school districts to provide full-day Kindergarten in every school,
and it undermines a parent’s right to decide when their child is ready for school, even with the amendment on the bill.

Senate Finance Committee: Debbie.Smith@sen.state.nv.us, Joyce.Woodhouse@sen.state.nv.us, Moises.Denis@sen.state.nv.us, David.Parks@sen.state.nv.us, Pete.Goicoechea@sen.state.nv.us, Ben.Kieckhefer@sen.state.nv.us, Michael.Roberson@sen.state.nv.us,

2. Share your opinion on SB 182 on the Legislative Opinion Page (if you haven’t already done so).

3. Attend the Senate Finance Committee hearing if you can, sign in and mark “AGAINST” SB 182. Room 2134 NV Legislature, Carson City. Video conferenced to Room 4412 of the Grant Sawyer State Office Building, 555. E. Washington Ave., Las Vegas.

SB314 has been scheduled for a hearing in the Assembly Judiciary Committee Friday, May 10th at 8:00 a.m.! This bill will put the Nevada legislature on record as to how parental rights should be protected and was passed unanimously in the Senate on April 22, 2013. We are pleased that Chairman Frierson has scheduled this important piece of legislation for a hearing.

All bills must be voted out of committee the following week, May 17th… so time is short. ParentalRights.org/NEVADA has been meeting with individual Assembly Judiciary committee members over the last two weeks as well as Assembly Leadership. These meetings are very productive and well worth our time!

We will be present at the hearing to testify in favor of the bill along with ParentalRights.org attorney Scott Woodruff who ushered similar language through the Virginia Legislature and will provide expert testimony to the committee. But we need YOU to weigh in now as well!

ACTION REQUESTED:

1. CALL or EMAIL Assembly Judiciary Committee members (listed below).
In your own words explain that, “SB 314 is a non-partisan bill, intended for the courts, and defines the right of parents to raise their children as a fundamental right. If passed, the law will protect the parent-child bond from intrusion by the state unless there is a compelling reason for the government to do so.”
2. VOTE “For” SB 314 at the Legislature Opinion Page.
3. ATTEND the hearing and offer testimony using the talking points above as a guide.
You may offer oral testimony. The hearing will take place in Room 3138 of the Legislative Building, 401 S. Carson St., Carson City, NV. The hearing will be video-conferenced to Room 4406 of the Grant Sawyer State Office Building, 555 E. Washington Ave., Las Vegas, NV.

Assembly Judiciary Committee Members:
Jason Frierson – Chair 775/684-8537, Jason.Frierson@asm.state.nv.us
James Ohrenschall—Vice Chair 775/684-6819, James.Ohrenschall@asm.state.nv.us
Richard Carrillo – 775/684-8801, Richard.Carrillo@asm.state.nv.us
Lesley E. Cohen – 775/684-8855, Lesley.Cohen@asm.state.nv.us
Olivia Diaz – 775/684-8553, Olivia.Diaz@asm.state.nv.us
Marilyn Dondero Loop – 775/684-8833, Marilyn.DonderLoop@asm.state.nv.us
Andrew Martin – 775/684-8549, Andrew.Martin@asm.state.nv.us
Ellen Spiegel – 775/684-8577, Ellen.Spiegel@asm.state.nv.us
Tyrone Thompson – 775/684- 8569, Tyrone.Thompson@asm.state.nv.us
Wesley Duncan – 775/684-8505, Wesley.Duncan@asm.state.nv.us
Ira Hansen – 775/684-8851, Ira.Hansen@asm.state.nv.us
Michele Fiore – 775/684-8829, Michele.Fiore@asm.state.nv.us
Jim Wheeler – 775/684-8843, Jim.Wheeler@asm.state.nv.us

Download the Parental Rights Pamphlet, and Scott Woodruff’s Testimony, both available on the Legislative NELIS website for a thorough explanation of the bill. https://nelis.leg.state.nv.us/77th2013/App#/77th2013/Bill/Meetings/SB314

Thank you for helping to get this bill passed, we are more than willing to answers any questions you may have.

We just got word that SB 314 has been scheduled for a hearing in the Assembly Judiciary Committee next Friday, May 10th at 8:00 a.m.! ParentalRights.org/NEVADA has been meeting with committee members the last 2 weeks. Tomorrow, May 2nd we have meetings scheduled with Assembly Leadership and the Governor’s office on the bill. For a full report please see our “Parental Rights” tab to the right under LEGAL ISSUES and click on the 5/1/13 update. The letter includes links to 2 news stories where parents had their child removed from their custody (but thankfully got back). Having SB 314 enacted by the Legislature and in Nevada Revised Statutes will help assure parents and inform judges of the fundamental right of parents to direct the upbringing, education and care of their children.