Governor Deal: Please Veto H.B. 1058

Radio Commentary, 90.7, 91.7 New Life FM, April 29, 2016 – By Sue Ella Deadwyler

Last month I explained that, once again, parents are losing control over their own children and reminded you of the specific time that became SO obvious in Georgia.

In the late 1960s parents should’ve said, “No, you have no right to tell my kids it’s okay to have sex before marriage. You have no right to treat MY children for diseases without MY knowledge and you have NO right to declare MY children emancipated if they become sexually active. MY children are NOT your children and NO government agency will protect MY children like I will.”

If that sounds over the top to you, I’m sorry, but that’s exactly what parents should have said when the Georgia General Assembly passed the Family Planning Act 50 years ago. But, let me back up and say this. The Georgia General Assembly should NEVER have passed a law allowing government agencies to, arbitrarily, consider sexually active children to be emancipated. Because indulging in sexual activity does NOT mean a child is mature and self-supporting. It, simply, means the child is on the wrong track. You would think what’s happened since the law passed 50 years ago would be a lesson learned, but not so, and here we go again.

H.B. 1058 passed on March 22nd, but now, I’m asking Governor Deal to veto it.I believe H.B. 1058 is the most harmful bill that passed this session, because it tramples parental rights and endangers the health of entire families and their friends. It authorizes someone to diagnose children with AIDS and treat children FOR AIDS without notifying the infected child’s parent. H.B. 1058, arbitrarily, deletes current law that REQUIRES a parent to be notified if a child is diagnosed with AIDS.

H.B. 1058 should never have passed to shut parents out, especially, NOW, when Georgia has the fifth highest number of AIDS infections in the country. Of males age 13 and older diagnosed with HIV, 72% happened during sexual contact. Of females age 13 and older, 78% contracted AIDS through sexual contact. 50 years ago government told children they could get “family planning services” and the clinic wouldn’t tell their parents. NOW, if H.B. 1058 becomes law, parents will not be told that their child has AIDS. Governor Deal has through next Tuesday to veto bills. Call 404 656-1776* and ask him to veto H.B. 1058, so parents will continue to be notified when a minor family member is diagnosed with AIDS. For Georgia Insight I’m Sue Ella Deadwyler, your Capitol correspondent.