General Assembly Analysis: HB1400 - Minor's drug test result disclosure
As a well informed electorate is best equipped for self governance, we here at The Virginian Federalist will continue reviewing bills you haven’t heard of in a series we call General Assembly Analysis.
Freshman Delegate Brenda Pogge, R 96 (James City, York, Newport News) introduced HB 1400. This bill would allow parents of a minor who was not in a drug treatment program to know the results of a drug test involving their child. The text of the bill is here.
The bill passed the House 99-0 on 2/1/08 and was referred to the Senate Committee on Education and Health. The bill is the subject of a hearing in the Senate Education and Health Committee on 2/21 at 9:00 a.m. in Senate Room B.
The value of this bill by Delegate Pogge is clear. Parents cannot be responsible for the illegal activities of their minor children if they are prohibited from even knowing the results of a drug test on the child. It is in the best interest of the community for parents to fully participate in the parenting and discipline of their own children, and for the state government to avoid erecting barriers to that participation.
Update: The Family Foundation has provided The Virginian Federalist with the following new information:
Delegate Pogge's bill HB1400 was heard in Senate Committee on Education and Health Subcommittee Health Care on Tuesday and was put off until next Tuesday's (2/26) subcommittee meeting, 1/2 hour after adjournment of the Senate. It was not heard by the full committee today. It should be heard in full committee at next week’s meeting (2/28, 8:30 am).
2 comments:
You are right. Parents can’t do their job if they are hamstrung by the government. This is a wonderful bill and I am glad to see the House of Delegates fully supports it.
The parents, of course, have the right to know drug test results.
I knew Brenda Pogge would be a good advocate for families.
The question that should be debated is why are schools in the drug testing business? I used to manage several drug testing programs for DoD and there are several ways for such tests to be compromised if not properly monitored.
Public schools don't care if they ruin some kid's prospects for getting into college, or playing varsity sports, through a negligently handled drug test.
I think we can solve the bulk of the drug problem by having smaller, neighborhood schools, where faculty are paid well enough to stay for careers at one school, so that they know the local families and their children.
These big, mega schools are run like prisons. I would never subject my children to that environment, if I could afford a smaller alternative program.
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