A Tale of Two States

These are not the best of times, but some feel they may be the worst of times as the leftist "progressive" soldiers march to separate children from their parents. 

While Washington State is on the cusp of passing a bill that removes parents from children replacing the parents with alternative caregivers ---next door, Idaho has passed a bill that ensures parental rights are protected. 

Be informed, not misled.

It's no wonder Idaho is inundated with people moving to the state. The way in which each of these two states addresses the same issue is stunning.

Washington

A Senate bill on the cusp of a House floor vote would allow homeless youth shelters to avoid notifying parents of runaway children if the juvenile is seeking "gender-affirming treatment" or "reproductive health services."

"Gender-affirming treatment" and "reproductive health services" are, of course, code for mutilating the bodies of young dysphoric children and offering abortions to the same group.

Senate Bill 5599 sponsored by Sen. Marko Liias, D-Mukilteo, would also allow “host homes” to keep runaway children from their parents or legal guardians for the purpose of helping them access "gender affirmation" surgery or medical procedures. The bill cleared the Senate in a 27-19 vote on March 1.

The bill has continued to advance through the legislature despite strong public testimony in opposition to the proposal, arguing that it undermines parental rights and could have permanent, irreversible effects on children’s bodies.

But Senator Liias seems more intent on placing children in "affirming" homes than actually helping the confused child.

Under existing law, whenever a juvenile enters a licensed youth shelter, the organization must determine whether the parents are aware of their child’s location and notify law enforcement or the Department of Children, Youth, and Families, or DCYF, if the youth is 12 years old or younger.

The shelter must also notify the parents within 24-72 hours if the youth does not have permission to be there. However, shelters can decline to notify parents under “compelling reasons” that include risk of abuse or neglect if the parents are notified.

But all that is about to change because the rights of parents and the well-being of the child are not really what this is about. 

SB 5599 alters this policy by adding an additional “compelling reason” for not notifying the parents to include if the child is seeking “gender-affirming treatment" and “reproductive health care services," such as abortions.

Under existing state law, underage children can already receive "gender-affirming treatment," which is defined as “a service or product that a health care provider prescribes to an individual to support and affirm the individual's gender identity that includes, but is not limited to, treatment for gender dysphoria.”

That's not enough. Liias and his cohorts want much more.

Reproductive health care services are defined by state law, while gender-affirming treatment includes but is not limited to the following procedures:

• Breast augmentation
• Chemical peel
• Dermabrasion
• Facial feminization surgeries
• Facelift
• Facial masculinization surgeries
• Forehead brow lift
• Genital modification
• Hairline modification
• Hair removal by electrolysis or laser
• Hysterectomy
• Lip enhancement
• Reduction thyroid chondroplasty (chondrolaryngoplasty or tracheal shave)
• Rhinoplasty
• Skin resurfacing
• Liposuction
• Mastectomy
• Penile implant
• Voice modification

People opposing this legislation are deeply concerned that the bill undermines parental rights and authority over the child without due process. Under SB 5599, the shelters and host homes would be able to keep the runaway child without notifying the parents, who potentially could have the child reported as missing to law enforcement.

No crime has to be committed or suspected against the child by the parents for the shelter or host home to decline to contact the parents. There is also no provision stating the parents need to be contacted or notified after a certain amount of time has passed.

Another source of opposition is the ramifications of surgeries and medical procedures on children who potentially have not yet experienced puberty. One amendment proposed on the Senate floor would have required underage children to receive counseling services before any medical procedures, but it was rejected. Another would have restricted “gender-affirming care” to counseling services, but that amendment was also rejected.

It's likely this bill will pass. It's also likely Gov. Inslee will sign it.

Drive a few miles east of Spokane, cross a state line, and the view of parental authority changes.

Radically.

Idaho

CBS TV 2 affiliate in Boise reported this: "House Bill 71 cleared the Idaho Senate floor on Monday and the House approved the amendments on Tuesday, sending the bill to Governor Little's desk."

The bill, also known as the "gender-affirming care" bill would ban the use of puberty blockers, hormones, and sex reassignment surgeries for those under 18.

Are there those who oppose the bill? Of course, there was a heated discussion, but clearer minds prevailed. 

One of the bill's sponsors said it's important for the government to step in when needed. She added that the state should focus on mental health care access rather than hormones or reassignment surgery.

The question was raised, "Is this the proper time for this kind of legislation?" Sen. Lori Den Hartog said on the record: "One of the things that struck me that I had heard from a physician, the question had been brought up. When is it the proper time for the legislature to intervene, or for a law to be passed?" She said, "The answer from one of  the physicians was that if the medical community was not going to police themselves or look at the studies of what was going on, that it was appropriate for this type of intervention."

Many in the medical community have, as too many pastors have, become silent on this and similar issues. And for the most part, there is too much money being made by the medical profession from "transition" surgeries to be inclined to "police themselves."

This bill is on Governor Little's desk.

Will he sign it?

In another sense, this bill---this issue, is on the desk of each of us. Will we work to elect officials that will stand for what is right and for righteousness, regardless of how daunting it may seem?

Or will we decide not to sign and become silent?

I've made my decision. Thank you for supporting us in this work.

Galatians 6:9  "And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap if we faint not." 

Be Informed. Be Discerning. Be Vigilant. Be Engaged. Be Faithful. Be Prayerful.