Dear CRHE supporter,
Three weeks ago, CRHE mobilized against Michigan HB 4063, a bill that would make it legal for abusive parents to pull their children out of school and exploit them for child labor. Before our involvement, the bill seemed assured of becoming law. Thanks in part to the tireless efforts of our government relations director, Samantha Field, and to our supporters in Michigan who contacted their legislators, nine state senators voted against the bill. I'm delighted to report that on Friday, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer vetoed HB 4063, all but killing it for this legislative session. Gov. Whitmer wrote:
"Child labor laws are an essential part of a healthy society because they protect kids from the severe negative consequences caused by child labor exploitation, such as denial of educational opportunities and increased physical and mental health risks. HB 4063 would chip away at those protections by allowing certain families to not only fill out work permit applications, but also grant them. In order to keep our kids safe, it is important that an independent school official evaluate work permit applications prepared by a family."
The failure of HB 4063 is a tremendous victory for homeschooled children in Michigan. And it's not the first time CRHE has promoted the interests of homeschooled children successfully at the state level:
- In Georgia, we helped pass a law that strengthened notification requirements for parents withdrawing their children from public school to be homeschooled.
- In Texas, we generated support for successful legislation that criminalized some forms of identification abuse.
- In the U.S. Virgin Islands, we helped kill a bill that would have completely deregulated homeschooling.
Your support for CRHE matters. Slowly but surely, we are making homeschooling safer for children and empowering those children to determine their own destinies. With your help, we can do even more.
Sincerely,
Jeremy C. Young
Interim Executive Director
Coalition for Responsible Home Education
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