FROM STAFF REPORTS

MONTGOMERY – Alabama Rep. Matt Fridy (R-Montevallo) filed House Bill 112 Feb. 10, which would amend the Alabama Constitution to provide that parents have a fundamental right to direct the upbringing, education, care and custody of their children, if approved.

Although that fundamental right is presently protected by U.S. Supreme Court decisions interpreting the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments, the Alabama Constitution does not include an explicit provision relating to the fundamental rights of parents to raise their children without undue government interference.

“As a father of five, I stand in unity with parents across the State of Alabama who believe that it is our fundamental, God-given right to raise our children without fear of unwarranted government intrusion and interference,” Fridy said. “To that end, I think it’s critical to provide the citizens of Alabama the opportunity to declare that our Constitution must protect the rights of parents.”

“The parents of our state should be assured that, regardless of any changes in how the federal courts interpret parental rights, in our state their right to direct the upbringing of their children is sacred and safe.”

If House Bill 112 is enacted by the legislature and approved by a vote of the people, Alabama would join a growing list of states that have enshrined the fundamental rights of parents in their state laws, such as Arizona, Idaho, Kansas, Michigan, Nevada, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah and Virginia.