Rep. LaVar Christensen (R)

HB 356 (Parent and Child Amendments)

Libertas Institute supports this bill.

Utah law gives broad authority to the Division of Child and Family Services to intervene on behalf of children in allegedly abusive or neglectful circumstances. This permissive latitude has at times been abused; this bill helps protect innocent parents by giving them the right to a second medical opinion, the right to oversee non-emergency medical care of their children while in the custody of the state, among other important protections.

Libertas Institute supports this bill. While children in clearly abusive or neglectful circumstances need protection, parental rights must otherwise be held paramount, and the state must use only the least restrictive means to protect children. This bill helps accomplish that objective.