Bahr: Bill will protect parents' rights to guide their children's education

(In his latest report, Rep. Kurt Bahr, R-St. Charles explains his parental rights legislation.)

Before the Missouri House of Representatives adjourned for spring break, we advanced two important bills protecting Parental Rights.
 
My Parental Rights Bill HB 1488 was passed out of committee this week.  HB 1488 specifies that the “liberty of a parent to direct the upbringing, education, and care of his or her child is a fundamental right.  Neither the state of Missouri nor any political subdivision of the state shall infringe on this right without demonstrating a compelling governmental interest.”  The term "compelling governmental interest" is strong legal language that has been recognized by the US Supreme Court since the 1920s.  Recently, however, activist judges have been diminishing the standard of interest the government must prove in order to infringe on the rights of a parent.  By putting this language in our state statutes, we will ensure that our State Judiciary will continue to protect parental rights and not redefine these rights per the discretion of a biased judge. 
 
This week HCS HJR 56 was sent to the Senate. Upon voter approval, this proposed constitutional amendment specifies that “parents have a fundamental right to exercise exclusive control over the care, custody, and upbringing of their minor children, including all decisions involving the discipline, education, religious instruction, health, medical care, place of habitation, and general well-being of the minor children. Parents have the right to choose to educate their children in public schools, private schools, or in-home education to prepare them for future obligations in life.”
 
The amendment prohibits the state from denying or impairing the fundamental right of parents to direct the upbringing, education, and care of their children. However, the right can be modified by a court when a parent has been found guilty of or pleads guilty to a crime of violence, neglect or any abuse against a child. These provisions cannot be construed to diminish the authority of law enforcement officers and courts to take necessary actions in emergency situations to protect the life, health, and safety of minor children, the courts to provide for the temporary custody of a child in emergency situations, the juvenile courts to assume jurisdiction over specified minor children; or courts to issue child protection orders for specified children.
 
If this bill passes the Senate, the voters will have an opportunity to weigh in on the subject and decide whether Parental Rights will be part of the Missouri State Constitution.

Bahr: Video will make women think twice about abortion

In his latest newsletter, Rep. Kurt Bahr, R-St. Charles, offers his views on legislation that would make it more difficult to get an abortion in Missouri.


HB 1307 & 1313 is a bill that makes the waiting period for an abortion 72 hours. Currently, there is a minimum 24-hour waiting period before a woman can have an abortion. In addition, HB 1307 & 1313 requires that the department of health and senior services to create a video that contains all the information required under law presently to be provided a woman considering an abortion. This video will be shown to the woman seeking the abortion in addition to handing her the written information.
Hopefully, given the full information about her choices, a woman will decide that she will save the life of her baby. In addition, any woman seeking a medical procedure deserves full disclosure of what the side effects could be. This would guarantee that all women seeking an abortion will go into the procedure with full knowledge of the dangers and side effects of this medical procedure.

We heard but did not vote on HB 1192. Currently, the law states that a minor who is receiving an abortion, must have written consent from at least one parent or guardian. HB 1192 changes that and requires consent from both parents/guardians at least five days prior to a minor getting an abortion. This gives the family an opportunity to communicate and come to a decision that they all agree on.

Video- Rep. Bahr on Common Core: Your legislators are listening

Rep. Bahr: The NRA is lying

In a portion of his newsletter to constituents, Rep. Kurt Bahr, R-O'Fallon , rips into the National Rifle Association, which has opposed the so-called Second Amendment Preservation Act, because of an amendment added by a Democratic legislator.

Last week the State Senate passed the "Second Amendment Preservation Act" SB613 out of committee.

  The NRA immediately started lying about an amendment added to the bill calling on their members to oppose this good bill.  While the sponsor of the amendment has several anti-gun bills filed the amendment is benign.  

The NRA however is lying to its members initially confusing the bills with this amendment. 

 It is sad to see a group that I and many members of the General Assembly belong to try to make themselves relevant through deception pitting pro-Second Amendment citizens against like minded politicians.

Full text of impeachment articles against Gov. Jay Nixon

The following is the text of House Resolution 380, impeachment articles against Gov. Jay Nixon. The resolution was filed by Rep. Nick Marshall, R-Parkville. Co-sponsors are Rep. Rick Bratton, R-Harrisonville, Rep. Jeff Pogue, R-Salem, Rep. Ronald Schieber, R-Kansas City; Rep. Mike Moon, R-Ash Grove; Rep. T. J. Berry, R-Clay County; Rep. Kurt Bahr, R-St. Charles; and Rep. Kenneth Wilson, R-Smithville.

WHEREAS, on November 14, 2013, Governor Jeremiah W. (Jay) Nixon issued Executive Order 13-14 which orders the Missouri Department of Revenue to require all taxpayers who file a joint federal income tax return to file a combined state income tax return, including same-sex couples married in a state that authorizes such marriages who file a joint federal income tax return; and

WHEREAS, on August 3, 2004, the people of this state overwhelming adopted Article I, Section 33 of the Missouri Constitution:

Rep. Bahr: We need to put the brakes on Common Core

One of the bills I filed this first full week of the new session is HB 1490 is often referred to as the “Anti-Common Core Bill.” 

This bill prohibits the adoption and implementation of the Common Core State Standards by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and nullifies any actions already taken and requires any state
education standards adopted and implemented to have the approval of the General Assembly.

In 1993, the Show-Me Standards began in Missouri. At that time, it was a requirement by statute that if 70% of the State Standards were changed, the General Assembly had to be notified and consulted about the changes.

 Unfortunately, this statute was for that year only. In 2009, unknown to the General Assembly of Missouri, Governor Nixon signed a Memorandum of Agreement with a private consortium turning over the writing of Missouri’s State Standards to an outside group. This group known as the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC) now determines the educational standards in the state of Missouri. The contract signed by Governor Nixon, the state board of education limits how much we can change the standards and collects data on our children to give to the federal government. I believe it was short sighted to sign this contract without the input of the citizens of Missouri. Parents and taxpayers should have had the right to see what the standards were and make a knowledgeable decision on whether this program was good for our children.

In addition, Common Core requires computer assessments. There are many problems with this requirement because not all school districts have broadband or computer for all their students (beginning at 3rd grade). This creates an unfunded mandates to the local school districts. It is against the Constitution of Missouri for us to require unfunded mandates of local agencies. 

There are many other reasons to be wary of Common Core, we need to put the brakes on its implementation and ensure all stake holders have a chance to decide the best educational standards for our children.