Californians are losing more parental rights if bills advancing through the Legislature become law.
By Eileen Griffin
The California Legislature is advancing bills that could separate children from their parents.
Minors’ Mental Health
After passing the state Assembly, AB 665 advanced with approval of the state Senate Judiciary Committee on a party-line vote, The Washington Free Beacon reported.
If approved by the Senate and signed into law by Gov. Gavin Newsom, the bill would allow mental health professionals to remove, or emancipate, children from the custody of their parents at their discretion. Once removed from the family, children would become wards of the state. Children as young as 12 could be transferred through the recommendation of a therapist or counselor.
Two Democrats, Assemb. Wendy Carrillo (D-Los Angeles) and state Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco), co-authored the bill. They say it advances equal care for children as the bill provides for mental health services for children without private insurance.
“This bill protects children,” Wiener said. “It makes children safer. It makes children healthier.”
Opponents of the bill referred to it as, “emancipation of 12-year-olds,” and they say it gives too much decision-making authority to therapists.
“The bill’s advance is the latest victory in a campaign by California Democrats to roll back parental rights, often in the name of allowing minors to choose their own gender,” wrote Susannah Luthi for the Beacon.
‘Affirming’ Gender Identity
Wiener is also a co-author on AB 957, also involving parental rights, The Christian Post reports. AB 957 would require judges in family court to consider if a parent is “affirming” their child’s gender identity when determining custody in divorce disputes. The bill passed the Assembly, and was approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Opponents of the bill say they fear the potential for weaponization of gender affirmation in divorce proceedings, CBS 13 in Sacramento reports. A parent who does not agree with gender theory and the belief a child can choose their own gender could be charged with child abuse, and Child Protective Services (CPS) could take custody of the child.
“It’s already happening,” Erica Friday, a co-leader of the group OurDuty, told CBS 13. “It happened to me when I refused to call my daughter by a male name and use male pronouns. CPS showed up at my doorstep. The police followed.”
The co-author of the bill, Assemb. Lori Wilson (D-Suisun City), said the bill is meant to protect trans-youth. She is a parent of a trans-identifying child.
“No one is out to get your kids,” Wilson said. “No one is out to force your kids to be anything they shouldn’t be. It’s about really protecting children who are caught up in the family court system from a parent that is antagonistic or non-affirming.”
‘You Need to Flee California’
With the full weight of the government behind it, Californians will be compelled to affirm gender ideology under threat of abuse accusations.
“Under such a broad definition of child abuse, even the wider community—schools, churches, and other organizations—could be obliged to affirm,” the National Review editorial board wrote.
State Sen. Scott Wilk (R-Santa Clarita) told parents this legislation could pose a threat to families, The Christian Post reports.
“In recent years, we have put government bureaucrats between parents, children and doctors when it comes to medical care, and now we have this, where if a parent does not support the ideology of the government, they’re going to be taken away from the home,” Wilks said.
Democrats in California are promoting several bills that will result in further erosion of parental rights.
“In the past, when we’ve had these discussions, and I’ve seen parental rights atrophied, I’ve encouraged people to keep fighting,” Wilks said. “I’ve changed my mind on that. If you love your children, you need to flee California. You need to flee.”
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