Latest news with #HouseBill172
Yahoo
6 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Lawmakers clash over Ohio bill to ban therapy for minors without parent consent
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — An Ohio lawmaker said a bill that would prohibit counseling and healthcare services to minors without guardian consent would solidify parental rights, while other legislators argue the measure could stifle youth experiencing abuse at home. Introduced by Rep. Johnathan Newman (R-Troy) in March, House Bill 172 reiterates regulations set by Ohio's 'Parents' Bill of Rights' law requiring schools to notify a parent of a student's change in counseling services, emotional or physical health, or well-being. Educators also must provide parents the opportunity to review instructional material that includes 'sexuality content.' Watch a previous NBC4 report on the 'Parents' Bill of Rights' in the video player above. H.B. 172 additionally bans a mental health professional from treating a minor who 'presents for the diagnosis or treatment of a gender-related condition' without first obtaining consent from a parent. Ohio bill that would require free feminine hygiene products in prisons moves forward During H.B. 172's first hearing on May 21 in the Ohio House Health Committee, Newman said the legislation is needed, given that part of Ohio's Revised Code is not in compliance with the 'Parents' Bill of Rights,' which went into effect in April. Should the state's revised code remain as is, Newman said it could cause confusion in Ohio schools and make 'them think they should or could promote children keeping the knowledge of mental health treatment from their parents.' 'We all should want to see students who suffer with mental health issues receive the help they need,' Newman said during the hearing. 'This bill seeks to do that, maintaining that the students' parents cannot be left out of the picture because the parents are the child's authority and most important and essential part of the student's recovery.' However, Rep. Anita Somani (D-Dublin) voiced concern for how H.B. 172 might impact a student facing abuse from a parent or relative. Somani argued 'there is not safe space for that child' if they need to get permission before seeking help, and asked how a teacher is expected to identify abuse without communicating with the student. Newman said he expects a student would seek counseling services after reporting an abusive parent, not the other way around. The lawmaker noted H.B. 172 would not interfere with school employees' obligation to report to law enforcement if there's evidence of a child suffering a crime of abuse or neglect. Ohio lawmakers push for stricter rules on 'obscene' drag queens, indecent exposure Rep. Karen Brownlee (D-Symmes Township) said she has worked through such situations as a clinical social worker in Cincinnati. Brownlee said there were many times parents weren't readily available when she, or other school staff, had to send a student to the hospital for a medical emergency. 'Are you suggesting that we do not get them that immediate care because of this parental consent need?' Brownlee asked. Newman reiterated that many of these provisions are already law because of the 'Parents' Bill of Rights' and said that if a child needs help and a school employee is aware, then 'parents must absolutely be notified and informed.' If there's a crisis at the school and parents cannot be reached, 'certainly we address the emergency,' Newman said. 'This bill seeks to uphold what the law currently says, that if there are mental health services to be provided, parents are to be notified. Parents can't be written out of the mental health or behavioral care of their children,' Newman said. 'Parents must be a part of the solution for care.' Brownlee also said 'it would completely go against, not only code of ethics, but would impede the safety of the child' for a social worker or educator to discern a 'gender-related condition' or any diagnostic or mental health issue, before that student received treatment. Pilot program testing tasers in Ohio's prisons; may expand statewide H.B. 172's provision banning mental health professionals from treating minors who 'present for the diagnosis or treatment of a gender-related condition' is one of several reasons the proposal has been condemned by Ohio LGBTQ+ advocacy groups. Equality Ohio argued in March that both H.B. 172 and the 'Parents' Bill of Rights' will cut off 'a crucial lifeline' for LGBTQ+ youth who live in unsupportive homes and confide in their therapist or school counselor. Dwayne Steward, Equality Ohio's executive director, said H.B. 172 continues the Ohio Statehouse's trend of 'anti-LGBTQ+' legislation and that the measure would force youth out of the closet 'in very, very dangerous situations where they're already experiencing crisis.' 'The bill would remove the confidentiality of a trans student who was experiencing mental health needs, and it could delay or keep a child from going and getting the mental health care that they need,' Steward said. 'It's extremely dangerous and another way in which our legislature is failing trans students.' H.B. 172 could receive additional hearings in the Ohio House Health Committee, which would be open for public testimony. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
LCSD1 holds off on releasing gun policy for public comment, hears concerns
CHEYENNE — Laramie County School District 1 refrained from putting out a draft gun policy for public comment this week after the district's lawyer said she hadn't had enough time to consider its legal implications. Per legislation passed earlier this year to repeal gun-free zones across the state, any adult with a concealed-carry permit can lawfully carry on school district campuses as of July 1. The statute allows districts to make policies that set training and conduct standards; however, those policies would only affect staff and volunteers. Following the board's last meeting, two drafts of the policy, meant to comply with the provisions of House Bill 172, were sent to the district's Policy Advisory Committee for feedback. 'This is a tight, tight timeline, from the end of the session to July 1,' LCSD1 attorney Amy Pauli told the board. '... Our goal was to have a draft ready for you to vote on to put out for 45-day public comment tonight, and unfortunately we just weren't able to make that.' Public concerns Regardless of whether the policy is ready for the public to review, a few concerned residents took the opportunity to address broader concerns about guns in schools with the board. One teacher in the district told the board that, as a person born and raised in Wyoming with ample experience with schools and extensive exposure to guns, she hoped the district would develop a policy that would protect kids. The teacher acknowledged that changing these processes was beyond the scope of the board. However, she did endorse safety measures in line with Cheyenne Teachers Education Association (CTEA) recommendations. These recommendations included: metal detectors at large events; biometric locks for staff access; capping ammunition amounts and regulating the type of weapons allowed by staff; and requiring specific holsters with trigger guards and fasteners to keep firearms secure. She also echoed the need for staff to receive high-intensity training. One of the policies presented was by local parent and Moms for Liberty Laramie County Chapter Chairwoman Patricia McCoy. The other was a committee policy. McCoy's policy was presented via petition signed by several community members and is not affiliated with Moms for Liberty, according to McCoy. McCoy commended the board for its efforts on the policy. Although she prepared remarks regarding the draft policy, a draft policy was not presented at Monday's meeting. Dylan Ford, president of the CTEA, expressed concern from teachers about their own safety working under the new law. Ford echoed CTEA recommendations for safety. Ford spoke on behalf of some concerned CTEA members, a few of whom have already resigned and are seeking other employment because of the new law. The district was unable to confirm that any district employees had resigned due to the law. Ford echoed the need to take serious safety precautions. 'The likelihood of an actual shooting is fairly low,' Ford said. 'However, there are some things that are absolutely certain. False alarms are absolutely certain. In fact, East (High School) alone has already had multiple this year, and just the general chaos of the classroom. When you get groups of kids together, there's going to be a little bit of chaos.' At the end of the meeting, Trustee Barbara Cook took a moment to acknowledge the fears that some community members have. 'I think it's appropriate that we acknowledge that at least I have — and I know many people have — heard trepidation and fear, from parents, students, teachers, principals,' Cook said. 'So know that as trustees. We get that, we hear you, we know that there's some real concerns out there. Also, we will follow the law. No matter what the policy is, we need to follow that law.' Policy concerns The draft policy will have to include training requirements, per statute, which contributed to the lack of a draft policy at Monday's meeting. The district also has to determine how the policy will impact its insurance and how the policy will apply to Freedom Elementary, which sits on federal lands leased to the district by the U.S. Air Force, according to Pauli. 'The district is exploring options for general liability insurance that would cover incidents involving firearms,' LCSD1 Community Relations Director Mary Quast said. Even if the district requires individuals to have their own insurance, an option Quast says has been considered, the current liability policy does not cover incidents involving firearms. 'Staff has been working with our insurance, and we are not covered,' Pauli told the board. 'No district in the state, unless you've already had an existing policy, is covered. Most insurance companies are handing out declarations that say, 'You're not going to be covered.'' Another major concern is Freedom Elementary, since it's on federal property. 'We (might) need to put in language that basically says Freedom is only included in this policy if specifically approved by the United States Air Force,' Pauli advised the board. 'We don't want to put anything that would contradict what the Air Force expects of us or that would jeopardize potentially our lease of that property.' To accommodate for concerns around insurance, training requirements and Freedom Elementary's status on federal property, Pauli said the policy would at best be ready by early May. A major concern is the required public comment extending past July 1 due to continued edits to an incomplete draft. 'What I don't want to have happen is we put forward something for a 45-day public review and we end up changing it, either based on public comment or further conversations with our law enforcement officials,' Pauli said. 'And changing the training requirements and then needing to go out for a second 45-day review, because that puts us out 90 days.' The next school board meeting is May 5, at which time the board hopes to see a draft policy.
Yahoo
31-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Cheyenne town hall hosted by Reps. Lucas, Brown and Johnson gets a little heated
CHEYENNE – Conversation got tense during a town hall hosted by Cheyenne Republican state Reps. Ann Lucas, Gary Brown and Steve Johnson at the Laramie County Library Saturday afternoon, with a special appearance by Wyoming Secretary of State Chuck Gray. The three representatives had just finished serving in their first session with the Wyoming Legislature, which ended three weeks ago. Lucas livestreamed the event, which is available on her Facebook page, "Ann Lucas for Wyoming." During the town hall, each representative took turns explaining some of the major bills that went into law. A majority of the bills discussed Saturday were widely supported by the Wyoming Freedom Caucus, a group of hardline Republicans that recently gained majority control of the state's House of Representatives. None of the three representatives at the town hall are declared members of the Wyoming Freedom Caucus. Legislation discussed during the town hall included major property tax relief, a statewide repeal of most gun-free zones, universal school choice and new anti-abortion policy, which is currently being challenged in court in Natrona County, according to While most of the 60 attendees voiced their support during the town hall, a few spoke in heated opposition to some of the bills, and voices were raised more than once. The discussion on House Bill 172, "Wyoming Repeal Gun Free Zones Act," was particularly intense. This bill allows Wyomingites with a concealed carry permit to walk into most places with a concealed firearm, including K-12 public schools, public college campuses, and governmental and legislative meetings. 'Where's the proof that (repealing) these gun free zones make children safer?' asked Cheyenne resident Joe Ramirez. 'This is not the Wild West.' Suzie Meisner-Esquibel, wife of former Democratic Wyoming lawmaker and current Cheyenne City Councilman Ken Esquibel, said she was in a Starbucks 10 years ago when a woman dropped her purse with a gun in it. The firearm went off, Meisner-Esquibel said, but luckily no one was hurt. 'My question is this: Who is going to safeguard me from someone carrying the weapon?' she said. Around this point, several people began speaking at once, and Meisner-Esquibel raised her voice to be heard over the rumblings before the room was called to order. After decorum was quickly restored, the representatives noted that this legislation already went into law and will be effective July 1. During his presentation of HB 172, Brown also noted conditions and exemptions to where concealed carry is not allowed, which includes school and college events where alcohol is served and areas where firearms are federally prohibited. 'To get into the emotion of all this right now, I don't believe that's the thing we need to do,' Brown said. 'The bill is law, so let's keep it to that discussion.' Property taxes Senate File 69 provides a 25% property tax exemption on the first $1 million of a single-family home's fair market value. Critics of the bill have argued the resulting revenue loss could mean cuts in services provided by local governments and special districts across the state. Officials previously told the Wyoming Tribune Eagle that Laramie County Fire Authority will likely face a $200,000 budget cut, and Laramie County Fire District 1 could face up to a $100,000 budget cut. However, Lucas told people during the town hall that the government is 'inflation-proof' because it collects taxes. 'As clever as our government seems to be at getting money, we're going to recover OK from this 25% cut,' Lucas said. 'This is the time for our local governments and our state government to take a little bit of a hit for the people, because we've got people who are truly hurting.' Cheyenne resident Deacon Maggard, who told the WTE that he lives in Brown's district, asked the representatives how they planned to retain young working professionals amid rising costs of child care, inflation and housing. 'What are you guys doing to, I guess, harness young professionals so that we can actually have people here?' Maggard said. 'We're bleeding people, and I know that from seeing and working with people.' Lucas told Maggard she didn't 'have a great answer' for him about retaining a young workforce. She acknowledged that there aren't a lot of high-paying jobs in Wyoming. 'And I don't know the answer to that, necessarily,' Lucas said. 'I know that we cannot sell our souls to get big business here when we do not have housing for them and we do not have infrastructure for them.'
Yahoo
28-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Area rep's bill would require parental consent for youth mental health treatment
Mar. 27—A Troy Republican has introduced an Ohio House bill that he says would repeal a carve-out in Ohio law that allows Ohioans aged 14 to 18 to receive mental health treatment without their parents' consent. "The bill only does one thing: it repeals Section 5122.04," Rep. Johnathan Newman, R-Troy, the sole sponsor of House Bill 172, explained in a text to this news outlet. Section 5122.04 of the Ohio Revised Code allows minors over the age of 14 to receive up to six sessions of mental health services without parental consent. Under law, the minor's guardians should only be informed if the professional "determines that there is a compelling need for disclosure based on a substantial probability of harm to the minor or to other persons." "No other adult or agency should be introducing a child to something, especially medical, mental health or anything else, without the parents' approval, just because of parents' God given rights to raise their own children and be responsible for their care," said Newman, a pastor, in an interview with this outlet. Newman, a freshman legislator, said the contents of H.B. 172 should have been passed when the legislature approved the so-called Parents Bill of Rights last year, which required certain parental notifications from school faculty, including counselors. When this outlet asked Newman if there was any scenario in which he'd be uncomfortable with the state barring a minor from receiving mental health care without parental consent, he responded, "I can't imagine that, no. The child is under the parents' care and authority." Newman is carrying H.B. 172, but has garnered support from several in the GOP caucus that, like him, see the issue as clawing parental rights back from the government. The bill has over a dozen cosponsors. Ohio House Speaker Matt Huffman, R-Lima, who has broad control over the priorities the House takes up, told this outlet Wednesday that the topic needed a solution that "recognizes the complexity" of problems around youth mental health concerns. Huffman referenced situations where a minor may report abuse to law enforcement or children services. "And so when you start stepping into that area and affecting that, that becomes a different thing," Huffman said. "I understand the concept. I think you have to have law enforcement, I think involved in this. I think you have to have a whole panoply of people who deal with children in these often very difficult situations, and probably sculpt something that recognizes the complexity of that." Across the aisle, House Minority Leader Allison Russo, D-Upper Arlington, cast doubts on how far the legislation would proceed. "It's deeply concerning, because the reality is ... sometimes they are in crisis because of their family situation," Russo told this outlet. "Denying them that access is detrimental to not only their mental health but also, potentially, their physical health." The bill, which has not yet had its first hearing, has been assigned to the Ohio House Health Committee for further review. ------ For more stories like this, sign up for our Ohio Politics newsletter. It's free, curated, and delivered straight to your inbox every Thursday evening. Avery Kreemer can be reached at 614-981-1422, on X, via email, or you can drop him a comment/tip with the survey below.
Yahoo
25-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Mental health service to minors without parental consent banned under Ohio bill
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — A leading advocacy group said a new Ohio bill to prohibit mental health service to minors without parental consent would stifle youth experiencing abuse at home and prematurely 'out' LGBTQ+ teens. House Bill 172 was introduced at the Ohio Statehouse in March by Rep. Johnathan Newman (R-Troy) and would ban a mental health professional from treating a minor who 'presents for the diagnosis or treatment of a gender-related condition' without first obtaining consent from a least one parent or guardian. Columbus City Schools reverts to birth names for transgender students 'The general assembly maintains that a parent has a fundamental right to make decisions concerning the upbringing and care of the parent's child,' the bill states. Newman's bill also reiterates regulations set by Ohio's incoming 'Parents' Bill of Rights' law, including a provision requiring schools to provide parents the opportunity to review instructional material that includes 'sexuality content.' A school is also required to notify a parent of a student's change in counseling services, emotional or physical health, or well-being. Watch a previous NBC4 report on the Parents' Bill of Rights in the video player above. However, Equality Ohio argues both measures will cut off 'a crucial lifeline' for LGBTQ+ youth who live in unsupportive homes and confide in their therapist or school counselor. The organization also said HB 172 could prevent all young people, not just those in the LGBTQ+ community, from speaking with a counselor, even in cases of abuse. Dwayne Steward, Equality Ohio's executive director, said HB 172 continues the Ohio Statehouse's trend of 'anti-LGBTQ+' legislation and that the measure would force youth out of the closet 'in very, very dangerous situations where they're already experiencing crisis.' 'The bill would remove the confidentiality of a trans student who was experiencing mental health needs, and it could delay or keep a child from going and getting the mental health care that they need,' said Steward. 'It's extremely dangerous, and another way in which our legislature is failing trans students.' Olentangy schools defends LGBTQ+ anti-bullying policies in federal court Steward pointed to a national crisis hotline that said it received a significant increase in calls from LGBTQ+ youth in Ohio within hours after Gov. Mike DeWine signed the Parents' Bill of Rights into law in January. The executive director said trans youth recognize that they're 'part of this political conversation,' which is leading to 'increases within the community when it comes to suicide and self-harm.' Still, proponents of the Parents' Bill of Rights and similar measures like Newman's HB 172 assert that the bills ensure parents, and not the government, are making healthcare and education decisions for their children. 'Parents don't sign away their rights when their son or daughter goes to school. They have every right to know what is going on inside the classroom, and any suspected abuse possibly coming from inside the home can be reported to law enforcement,' Senate Republicans spokesperson John Fortney said in a previous statement. 'There is absolutely no reason for information to be concealed.' Aaron Baer, president of the Center for Christian Virtue, celebrated DeWine's signing of the Parents' Bill of Rights and said the legislation protects children by safeguarding parents' rights to make important decisions. Columbus City Schools bars religious release organizations from giving out candy, trinkets 'Whether it's a decision about healthcare, a decision about when a child has a discussion about sexuality, or a decision over whether a child can access a religious released time program like LifeWise Academy, HB 8 puts parents back in control,' Baer said. HB 172 has been referred to the Ohio House Health and Human Services Committee, where it could receive hearings open for public testimony. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
