Welch: State Democrats’ bill would undermine parental rights

By Todd Welch / Herald Columnist

In Washington state, lawmakers attack the relationship between parents and their children. They seem more interested in empowering the state than protecting family autonomy.

State Senate Majority Leader Jamie Pedersen, D-Seattle, recently stated that kids as young as 13 should be able to make their own decisions regarding mental health care without parental notification or consent. (Pedersen has said that a quote used by a Fox News reporter did not provide the full quote and its context.) This would strip parents of their right to be involved in one of the most critical aspects of their children’s well-being.

Last year, more than 454,000 Washingtonians signed onto the Parental Rights Initiative, a bipartisan effort to ensure parents remained involved in the decisions affecting their children’s education and health. The state Legislature adopted the law with broad support, but some legislators are working to dismantle that progress this session. They argue that new legislation is simply a “clarification” to align with current law adopted in 1985. But if this is the case, why did they fail to do their due diligence when passing last year’s bill?

Senate Bill 5181, which has passed the Senate and is now before the House education committee, appears to be more of an attempt to undermine parental rights and give the state more control over children. Pedersen’s recent comments lay bare the intentions of those in power: they believe children, even as young as 13, should have the ability to make significant mental health decisions without parents being involved. This is the same group of legislators who say a person is not mature enough to drink or own a gun until they’re 21. Yet, they’re now proposing a different standard for decisions that are more aligned with their political priorities.

A significant portion of this control is being shifted to schools. While I respect our teachers and their dedication, suggesting that teachers understand our children better than parents is insulting and misguiding. No one loves a child more than their parents; no one is more invested in their well-being. The idea that the state or schools can better guide our children than their own families undermine the very core of parental responsibility and trust.

The passage of the Parents’ Bill of Rights in 2024 (Initiative 2081), was a critical step toward ensuring parents remain involved in their children’s education and health. But now, with SB 5181, legislators are actively working to erode that right, driving a wedge between parents and their children and undermining the people’s will.

Washington voters know that most parents only want the best for their children. For families experiencing genuine challenges, we have systems in place — such as specialists, lawyers and the Department of Children, Youth and Families (DCYF) — to help. These systems exist to protect children who may be in danger, but they should not be used as a substitute for parental involvement in everyday decisions.

In an alarming move, SB 5181 includes an emergency clause that would prevent voters from challenging the bill through a referendum. This move would silence public debate, block citizen input, and make it harder for voters to overturn a law they disagree with.

If SB 5181 passes in its current form, it will alienate families, strip away parental authority, and roll back the gains made last year. Parents have a fundamental right to be involved in decisions affecting their children, and it is unacceptable for the state to undermine that right.

To further emphasize the troubling direction of the state’s Legislature, Sen. Pedersen also stated, “When you’re talking about a young person’s health care, it’s a lot more complicated, right? Young women, if they’re old enough to get pregnant, they’re old enough to make their own decisions about what happens with their bodies, and parents do not have the right to change that or make a different decision or be notified in advance.”

These sentiments reflect a broader trend of state control that threatens to sever the vital bond between parents and their children.

The decisions being made in Olympia this session are increasingly dangerous. They undermine parental authority and jeopardize the fundamental relationships that ensure the well-being of our children. It’s time for all Washingtonians to stand up for parental rights before the state oversteps its bounds.

Todd Welch is a columnist for The Herald, addressing local and state issues. He lives in Everett.