HF 22: Parent's bill of rights created. - Minnesota

2nd Engrossment → 3rd Engrossment · 4 edits · Mar 6, 2025

MODERATE

This bill updates the 'Parent's Bill of Rights' to strengthen parental involvement in minors' healthcare. Key changes include a new requirement for parents to have full access to examination rooms during minor visits and a mandate for providers to notify parents before asking standardized questions to minors. The bill also reorganizes and clarifies existing parental rights, such as consent for procedures and access to records, while adding specific exceptions for minors who consent to their own care.

Scope change

The bill expands the scope of parental rights by adding new protections for examination room access and notice regarding standardized questions, while modifying the scope of existing rights to explicitly exclude minors who have legally consented to specific health services.

REQUIREMENT

Healthcare providers must now allow parents or guardians full access to the examination room when a minor is receiving services, unless a privacy screen is used for private body areas.

Providers must provide written notice to parents before asking any standardized oral or written questions to a minor, detailing the right to opt out and how answers will be stored.

The consent requirement for biometric scans was moved to a new subsection, while the notice requirement for video/voice recordings by the state was renumbered and clarified.

ELIGIBILITY

The right to access and review a minor's medical records is now explicitly limited if the minor has consented to health services under specific statutes allowing minors to seek care without parental permission.

1st Engrossment → 2nd Engrossment · 4 edits · Mar 3, 2025

MODERATE

The bill was updated from the 1st to the 2nd engrossment, reflecting a revision in the 'Parent's Bill of Rights.' The most significant change redefines parental rights in education from a directive to 'direct' education to a right to 'exercise freedom of choice,' clarifying that parents can choose public, charter, private, or home schooling. Additionally, the bill now explicitly prohibits employees from coercing minors into withholding information from their parents, adding a new enforcement mechanism for such attempts.

Scope change

The scope of parental authority in education was broadened and clarified to emphasize freedom of choice rather than a direct command, while new protections were added regarding parent-child communication.

REQUIREMENT

Rephrased parental education rights from a directive to 'direct' education to a right to 'exercise freedom of choice' in accordance with state compulsory instruction laws.

Narrowed parental access rights regarding school records, removing the specific language about 'overseeing privacy' and focusing on access and review.

Removed a paragraph clarifying that the bill does not create new obligations for schools to report routine student disciplinary matters like fighting.

ENFORCEMENT

Added a new provision stating that any attempt to coerce a minor child into withholding information from their parent constitutes grounds for employee discipline.

Introduction → 1st Engrossment · 3 edits · Feb 17, 2025

MINOR

The bill was formally updated from its introduction to its first engrossment version, reflecting progress in the legislative process. The most significant substantive change strengthens parental rights by adding a legal standard that requires the government to prove any infringement is reasonable, necessary for a compelling state interest, and narrowly tailored. This new language also expands the scope of protected parental rights to include the child's 'well-being' in addition to upbringing, education, and health care.

Scope change

The bill's scope was expanded to explicitly include 'well-being' as a protected parental right alongside upbringing, education, and health care.

REQUIREMENT

Added a new legal standard requiring the government to demonstrate that any infringement on parental rights is reasonable, necessary to achieve a compelling state interest, and narrowly tailored before it can occur.

DEFINITION

Expanded the list of protected parental rights to explicitly include the right to direct a child's 'well-being'.

TECHNICAL

Updated the bill title and posting date to reflect its status as the 1st Engrossment version.

Parent's bill of rights created.

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