Investigation, Notification, and Litigation
Our weekly updates typically highlight the most pressing advocacy issue. As you can imagine, our team is actively engaged in multiple legislative priorities as well as national and state-level coalition initiatives. I want to ensure you have the latest developments in this email to provide a broader perspective on the efforts that directly impact the parental rights and pro-life movements in New Jersey.
Home School Families Fighting for Educational Freedom
Senate Bill 4589 / Assembly Bill 5796, introduced on June 5, represents yet another expansion of state overreach into New Jersey’s homeschool communities. The bill would require public schools to assign a counselor or school social worker to conduct home visits for families who have withdrawn their children from public school—effectively subjecting these families to investigation simply for exercising their right to educate at home. When public school officials are mandated to enter the homes of families who have deliberately chosen to leave the system, it crosses a clear line of government intrusion.
Members of the Parental Rights Coalition is hosting a critical webinar on Thursday, June 26, from 7:30–8:30 PM to equip homeschool families and concerned advocates with effective strategies to oppose Senate Bill 4589 and related legislation.
Additional bills proposing increased regulation of homeschoolers have recently been introduced, making this webinar especially timely.
👉 Register now for this important event and please share this information with homeschool families and advocacy networks in your community.
When minors need their parents the most, the State denies notification
On June 9, our Director of Advocacy, Shawn Hyland, testified before the Senate Health Committee as the sole voice opposing Senate Bill 4050. If enacted, this bill would prohibit parents from being notified when their 16-year-old is classified by a mental health hotline operator as being at “high risk of suicide.”
We believe this is a dangerous precedent. Parents must be informed when their child expresses intent to harm themselves or others. They are the first line of defense—able to secure medications, remove access to weapons, and seek immediate care to protect their child’s life.
Despite this, the committee majority voted to deny parents the right to know when their own child has been flagged as high risk. The underlying assumption appears to be that parents are inherently unfit or abusive and therefore should be excluded from critical decisions about their child’s mental health.
NJTV News recently covered this controversial bill and included testimony from NJFPC in their report. You can read the full coverage on NJTV News.
During a recent vote on the bill in the Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee, some advocates expressed concerns about the legislation. Shawn Hyland of New Jersey Family Policy Center, which describes itself as a “Christ-centered organization,” urged lawmakers to vote no unless amendments are made that would require parental notification.
“Clearly, if a 16-year-old has been identified as being at high risk for committing suicide, shouldn’t the state notify the parent?” said Hyland, the organization’s advocacy director. “We strongly believe any effort to remove parents from the mental and emotional health care of their child does not prevent suicide. It puts more children at risk,” he said.
The U.S. Supreme Court will hear First Choice Women’s Resource Center's case against Attorney General Matt Platkin
We’re pleased to share encouraging news: the U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to hear the appeal of First Choice Women’s Resource Centers, a faith-based pro-life organization that has faced ongoing legal pressure from New Jersey’s Attorney General.
This case has been a matter of deep concern and prayer for many in the pro-life movement, and the Court’s decision to take it up marks a significant step forward. The case is scheduled to be heard during the Supreme Court’s next sitting this fall.
Governor Murphy’s administration’s targeting of pregnancy resource centers could have far-reaching national implications as the Supreme Court prepares to hear this pivotal case. Our trusted national ally, Alliance Defending Freedom, is representing our friends at First Choice Women’s Resource Centers in their legal challenge against the Attorney General’s actions.
We will continue to keep you informed as the case progresses. Notably, while national media outlets quickly reported on the Supreme Court’s decision to hear the case, New Jersey media remained conspicuously silent—a telling omission that reflects poorly on Attorney General Matt Platkin’s position.
On another positive note, the U.S. Supreme Court on June 18 upheld Tennessee’s law prohibiting the use of puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones for minors under the age of 18. This ruling marks a significant victory for child protection efforts and affirms the authority of states to enact such safeguards.
These “Help Not Harm” laws have now been adopted in 25 states, reflecting a growing national consensus on the need to protect children from irreversible medical interventions. Our national ally, Family Policy Alliance, has been a vital resource for many of our partner family policy councils in advancing and securing the passage of these laws across the country.
Tragically, Governor Murphy has used his executive authority to position New Jersey as a destination for minors seeking gender transition procedures—procedures that have been banned or severely restricted across much of Europe and in over half of U.S. states. By encouraging out-of-state youth to access puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones here, the administration is actively undermining the growing national and international consensus on the risks of these interventions for minors.
