Nellie Deblois

I object to HB553-FN. The government's responsibility is to safeguard children while upholding the sanctity of the family unit, respecting parental rights to raise their children according to their values and beliefs. Government oversight should focus on ensuring children are adequately clothed, fed, receive necessary medical care, and are enrolled in school, whether public or private, within a loving and secure environment. "Healthy" should encompass growth and appropriate treatment of illnesses, such as common colds. However, intervention based on conflicting political and parental beliefs is unwarranted. The state should only intervene in cases of genuine abuse, such as drug abuse or neglect, that demonstrably impede a child's healthy development. Given the existing number of children in the system, adding more due to ideological differences is unacceptable. Therefore, I oppose this bill.