by Colleen Enos (CHEC Director of Government Relations)
The majority in the Colorado General Assembly seems to have caught the attention of the Trump Administration. The U.S. Department of Education spokeswoman Julie Hartman told the Daily Signal that “Children do not belong to the government. They belong to parents.” Then, on March 28th of this year, Secretary of Education Linda McMahon sent a letter to educators that included the following statement: “Under President Trump’s leadership, my Department will no longer passively accept school officials’ hostility to parental involvement. The Department stands with parents in exercising their rights to the full extent of the law.”
This may be news to Colorado’s General Assembly.
On April 21st, the Colorado House State, Civic, Military, and Veterans Affairs Committee heard House Concurrent Resolution HCR25-1003, Person’s Rights Related to Their Children. The bill proposed a simple addition to Section 3, Article II of the Colorado Constitution entitled “Inalienable Rights” — include the right “Of directing the upbringing, education, and care of their children” in this section. This was pretty straightforward. There was no testimony offered against the Parental Rights Resolution, but it went down in flames.
Striking another blow to parental rights, SB25-063, Library Resource Decision Standards for Public Schools, passed both chambers and was sent to the governor for his signature. The bill requires schools to establish a written review process for questionable library materials. Materials can only be challenged once every two years and only by the parent of a student currently enrolled at that school. However, once the request is made, it is considered an “open record,” ensuring that any parent who files such a request will be doxxed. Surely this is not designed to encourage concerned parents to question the school.
In what looked like an opportunity to respect the human life of the unborn with HB25-1259, In Vitro Fertilization Protection and Gamete Donation Requirements, quickly turned into a way to provide subjects for experimentation. Sounding like a bill that was protecting life, it shockingly bestows the right to use or destroy embryos, including giving them up to a third party for “research.” This measure is on its way to the Colorado Senate.
Last, Colorado continues its push to be the most liberal state in the nation by setting the stage for a single-payer, universal health care system. SB25-045, Health-Care Payment System Analysis, requires the Colorado School of Public Health to analyze draft model legislation to implement single-payer health care in Colorado for residents — not citizens, any resident. Additionally, it sets up a board of 20 members to advise the School of Public Health during its analysis of a universal health-care system. Well, that ought to be inexpensive.
**The Senate Judiciary Committee is hearing HB25-1312, Legal Protections for Transgender Individuals, today, April 30th, at 1:30pm. This bill codifies the terms “misgendering” and “deadnaming” into the Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act, sets parents up for losing custody if they use their child’s actual name, makes school dress codes non-gender-based, and ignores parents’ religious liberty. Make sure your voice is heard by testifying against the bill.
It would be refreshing if the majority in the Colorado General Assembly actually respected Coloradans. It may take more action and pressure from the Trump Administration to bring that about.
In the waning days of the legislative session, bills are likely to be jammed through. Every bill that is not passed through both chambers dies. Please stay on alert for any new surprises threatening homeschool freedoms, parental rights, or religious liberty in Colorado. Additionally, consider testifying on a bill in the few committee hearings left — you can even do it remotely.
To review bills, go here.
In Him,
Colleen Enos, CHEC Director of Government Relations
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