(Robert Jonathan, Headline USA) A bill passed in the Democrat-controlled Washington state legislature created an exception to the requirement that licensed youth shelters, host homes and other such facilities must alert parents that their minor child has checked in.
Under state senate bill 5599, parents need not be notified within an otherwise required maximum of 72 hours under current law when a minor is seeking or receiving so-called gender-affirming treatment, which is considered a “compelling reason” to keep families out of the loop.
Gender-affirming care, also known as genital mutilation, comes under the heading of “protected healthcare services” as indicated in the legislation. Abortion is reportedly another.
Democrats claim that they are “protecting” transgender youth who are seeking “life-saving care” particularly when their families aren’t necessarily supportive of same.
Far-left Gov. Jay Inslee is likely to sign the bill into law, which has been criticized as a way to hide kids’ whereabouts from their moms and dads, and thus remove the parental ability to give consent to life-alternating invasive medical procedures, after the state house and senate resolve certain differences in the text.
The House version requires licensed shelters to notify the Department of Children, Youth and Families instead of the parents or legal guardians.
“For minors, ‘affirming care’ typically included puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones and surgeries. It was unclear which services would be approved under the bill,” Fox News explained.
Republican State Rep. Jim Walsh condemned the legislation that was jammed through by the lower chamber on a strict party-line vote, after having previously been approved in the senate.
“Among its many flaws, the bill assumes families that don’t ‘affirm’ a child’s short-term desires are being abusive. Wrong! Sometimes love requires parents to not affirm their child’s whims. Loving parents guide their children as they grow. Sometimes that means saying ‘no,'” Walsh said in a statement.
“Parents are the primary stakeholders in their children’s upbringing―not the government.”
Walsh’s colleague, State Rep. Chris Corry, similarly described the bill as “a fundamental violation of parental rights.”
He added that “if your child goes missing…over an argument or disagreement, what most parents in Washington state would go to the ends of the earth to find their child. And the fact that we have a bill that may become law, that would say, ‘we’re not going to tell you,’ was really just a bridge too far for us.”
House Republicans are committed to parental rights. In this video, Reps. Chris Corry and Peter Abbarno explain why controversial SB 5599 would erode parental rights. House Republicans opposed the bill. #waleg pic.twitter.com/NCwIKhyNff
— Washington State House Republicans (@WaHouseGOP) April 13, 2023
Democrats defeated a series of amendments offered by the GOP including one that incorporated a common-sense distinction between child abuse and a parent-child disagreement.
In a video update, GOP House leader J.T. Wilcox characterized the bill as a “disaster.”
In his week 14 review, House Republican Leader J.T. Wilcox discusses legislation related to parental rights (Senate Bill 5599), vehicular pursuits (Senate Bill 5352) and drug possession and treatment (Senate Bill 5536). #waleg pic.twitter.com/VP1keulMZm
— Washington State House Republicans (@WaHouseGOP) April 14, 2023
GOP State Rep. Skyler Rude separately asserted that “I want any trans people out there listening to know I support them; I feel comfortable saying my caucus supports them. My concerns are really around age to give consent and make these decisions, and parents should… at least be provided the chance to be involved in those decision.”
Washington is also a state that allows transgender male inmates in female prisons.
Earlier this month, Inslee signed a bill into law that would let transgender individuals seal court records when it comes to a name change.
In general, court records are open to the public unless a judge rules otherwise.
