OPINION: The Long Arms of State Government

A concerning theme of this legislative session has been a complete overreach of state government into areas it does not belong. This includes several proposals that have been moving through the process that completely disregard the rights of parents and the individual sovereignty of our municipalities.

Last week, the House of Representatives passed a bill that seeks to give a minor child the ability to legally receive certain medical examinations or treatments without the consent of their parents, with no explanation of benefits provided to the parents by insurance companies (HB 6389). As parents, we have the absolute right to know the medical procedures that our children are receiving so that we can properly care for them and provide a stable, happy home environment. This legislation will potentially divide families and poses risk to children who seek medical input without their parents’ guidance and consent.

There are also multiple proposals that would take local zoning control away from individual municipalities in the name of increasing opportunities for affordable housing. While this is certainly an admirable goal, and one that should be discussed, creating state control over local zoning is not the way to do this. Decisions about zoning must be made by the people who know and understand the unique needs of each community, not the state.

It is unacceptable for the state to infringe on the rights of parents and disregard the governance of our individual municipalities. The long reach of governments’ arms into our lives and our choices is unacceptable.

I would like to end on a positive note, however: last week, the House voted unanimously to extend telehealth services into 2023, which will help many patients who are housebound or unable to travel to doctor’s appointments for reasons other than COVID-19. This is a great example of government staying in its lane and allowing people more choices.