05/19/2024
RE: A NEW JERSEY SENATE BILL TO BE VOTED ON MONDAY, MAY 20, and PARENTAL RIGHTS
Have you raised children to adulthood? Are you a mentor to young people on their journey to adulthood? Do you think 14-year-olds should be making healthcare decisions without parental involvement? Should school properties be used to house non-academic institutions & populations? READ ON:
"And the Consent bill - if subsequently passed, will fully empower 14 year olds (eight graders) to consent to mental health counseling, as well as medical and surgical care, without the knowledge or consent of parents."
If you believe that 14-year-old New Jersey children should be making medical & health decisions without the involvement of their parents, please stop reading this post now, save your energy and have a beautiful day.
Otherwise, please read on and contact your New Jersey State Senator TODAY to vote NO on S3156.
__________________________
From NJ Stands Up
STOP BILL S3156
Tell the New Jersey State Senators to VOTE NO on S3156.
Senate bill 3156 allows schools to lease property to “federally qualified health centers.” It was introduced and passed through the Senate Education Committee on May 6th in less than three minutes with NO questions, comments, or discussion.
It is up for a full Senate vote on Monday, May 20th.
So, what’s the big deal? And, what’s at stake?
This is not an issue of school space or economics but rather direct access to and influence of children. Parental rights and control of healthcare decisions for minors are at stake.
Let’s consider the fact that the NJ state legislature will soon be voting on lowering the age of consent for behavioral services (S1188/A2874) from the current 16 years of age to 14. This means that a health center placed in a NJ high school could provide services to any student without parental consent.
School-based health centers (SBHCs), already in place in several states, seek to replace the family doctor and provide a full range of services including vaccinations, prescriptions, reproductive counseling, mental and behavioral health counseling. Mostly unregulated, the SBHCs have few if any guardrails to protect parental rights and meet minimum standards of care.
The placement of health centers within school settings, takes parents out of the picture for their child's healthcare, relies on the child to make informed decisions without a fully developed brain or full knowledge of their health history, and places health practitioners in an unethical position. There are many potentially harmful implications of bill S3156.
WHAT TO DO?
Call and email the office of Senate President Nicholas Scutari and some of his colleagues over the weekend and before Monday morning. Don't forget to call your district Senator too!
Nicholas Scutari - Senate President: (732) 827-7480; [email protected]
And let’s focus on a few more Senators…
Paul Sarlo - Deputy Majority Leader: (201) 804-8118; [email protected]
Joseph Cryan - Co-Chair of the Joint Committee on the Public Schools: (908) 624-0880; [email protected]
Shirley Turner - Senate President Pro Tempore: (609) 323-7239; [email protected]
Jon Bramnick: (908) 232-2073; [email protected]
(He wants to be governor - let’s see where he stands)
Vin Gopal - Chair of the Senate Education Committee: (732) 695-3371; [email protected]
Angela McKnight - Member Senate Education Committee: (201) 360-2502; [email protected]
Joseph Lagana - Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee:
(201) 576-9199; [email protected]
Renee Burgess: member of the Joint Committee on the Public Schools: (862) 231-6577; [email protected]
Nilsa Cruz-Perez: (856) 541-1251; [email protected]
Have more time to help?
Call any and all Senators (Democrats and Republicans) let your voice be heard. Find the numbers and emails of the others here:
https://njleg.state.nj.us/legislative-roster
What to ask for when you call:
Ask them to VOTE NO on S3156.
Tell them that schools should not be in the business of health provider or decider. Ask them to protect children and protect parental rights.
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To y(Our) Freedom,
NJStandsUp"
PS TO MY MONTCLAIR NEIGHBORS: you reside in NJ Legislative District 27. Your state senator is John McKeon. Below are your current state legislators, for this and future reference. Note Assemblywoman Alixon Collazos-Gill (MHS grad Brendan Gill's wife and 'Mr. Gill's' (of Glenfield Middle School fame) daughter-in-law) is our neighbor on in the South End. What access we have to power! We are so lucky! Perhaps you'll see Ms. Collazos-Gill at church this morning, or in the neighborhood on this beautiful day, and can address this subject with her.
District 27
Senator John F. McKeon (D)
Senator John F. McKeon (D)
District Office Address:
221 Main St.
Madison, NJ 07940
(973) 377-1606
Contact Your Legislator(s)
Personal and Career Information
Born: June 3, 1958
Education: B.A. Muhlenberg College (History)
J.D. Seton Hall University School of Law
Occupation: Attorney, Hardin, Kundla, McKeon & Poletto, P.A.
Public or Party Service
•Township of West Orange, Mayor 1998-2010, Council 1992-98
Legislative Service
•Senate 2024-present
•General Assembly 2002-2023, Parliamentarian 2022-2023, Deputy Speaker 2010-11, Majority Whip 2008-09, Assistant Majority Leader 2006-07, Assistant Majority Whip 2004-05
Committees
State Government, Wagering, Tourism & Historic Preservation (SSG), Vice-Chair
Environment and Energy (SEN)
Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens (SHH)
Assemblywoman Rosaura "Rosy" Bagolie (D)
Assemblywoman Rosy Bagolie (D)
District Office Address:
651 Old Mt. Pleasant Avenue
Livingston, NJ 07039
(973) 535-50
Personal and Career Information
Born: June 14, 1980
Education: B.A. Seton Hall University (Social and Behavioral Sciences)
M.S. Seton Hall University (Elementary Education)
Ed.D. Seton Hall University (Education Leadership, Management and Policy)
Ed.M. Rutgers University (Special Education)
Occupation:
Principal/Superintendent of Schools, East Newark Public School Public or Party Service
•Livingston Township Council 2023
Legislative Service
•General Assembly 2024-present
Committees
Education (AED)
Financial Institutions and Insurance (AFI)
Assemblywoman Alixon Collazos-Gill (D)
District Office Address:
39 South Fullerton Ave., 2nd Floor, Suite 7
Montclair, NJ 07042
(973) 509-0388
Personal and Career Information
Born: Janury 27, 1977
Education:
B.A. Rutgers University–Newark (Sociology/Latin American Literature)
Occupation: Assemblywoman
Committees
Children, Families and Food Security (ACF)
Environment, Natural Resources, and Solid Waste (AEN)
Daniel Ying Maria Ellis Westbrook Merle Gehman Michael L Bateman John Hartinger Pastor Clenard Childress Pastor Michael T Westbrook Anthony Colandro Susan Marinucci Greg Quinlan Carol Vasquez Stephanie Weiner
Directory of members of the New Jersey Senate and General Assembly, listed by district. Includes alphabetical indices by legislators’ names, party and house designation, and county composition of each district
