Parental Rights

How HB1312 could reshape custody courts, schools, and family law in Colorado

COLORADO PEAK POLITICS, Approved, State / / , , , ,

Colorado Democrats have jumped the political shark with a dangerously radical bill that authorizes courts deciding child custody cases to consider if a parent can’t keep their pronouns straight.

The summary of HB25-1312 passed on a party line vote in the House Sunday reads;

“Section 1 of the bill creates the “Kelly Loving Act.” Section 2 provides that, when making child custody decisions and determining the best interests of a child for purposes of parenting time, a court shall consider deadnaming, misgendering …” and something about publishing that doesn’t make sense so we didn’t include it here.

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The fine print of SB25-063: Speak up about inappropriate books in schools, get doxxed

Rocky Mountain Voice, Approved, State, Top Stories / / , , ,

When Colorado lawmakers debated Senate Bill 25-063—titled the “Freedom to Read Act”—most eyes focused on the usual battle lines: controversial books, age appropriateness and the role of librarians. But tucked inside the bill is something less publicized—and more dangerous to parents who dare to speak up.

Under Section 4(f), any parent who requests that a book be reconsidered for a school library will have their name made public. That request becomes a CORA-able document, meaning it falls under the Colorado Open Records Act. And in today’s politically charged environment, that’s all it takes to make someone a target.

The fine print of SB25-063: Speak up about inappropriate books in schools, get doxxed Read More »

Cole: HB-1312 turns pronouns into a weapon against parents and schools

Commentary, Approved, Rocky Mountain Voice, State / / , , , ,

Colorado House Democrats recently leveraged their legislative authority with a calculated one-two punch, invoking Rule 14 on April 4, 2025, to cap debate on House Bill 1312 (HB-1312), the “Kelly Loving Act,” at a scant two hours, then deploying Rule 16 over the weekend to stifle discussion entirely and push the bill to an immediate vote. 

These tools, seldom used outside of breaking filibuster gridlock, were not wielded here to clear a clogged calendar but to mute opposition to a measure poised to reshape parental rights, free speech, and family dynamics. This heavy-handed approach stripped away democratic deliberation, a move that should unsettle every Coloradan.

This isn’t about streamlining; it’s about dominance.

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Enos: Abortion, parental rights and gun grabs—Colorado’s radical trifecta

State, Approved, Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice, Top Stories / / , , , , , ,

While continuing to grapple with Colorado’s $1.2 billion dollar shortfall, the state will be losing $250 million in pandemic-related federal funding for healthcare from the American Rescue Plan Act. The federal government is implementing the President’s “Department of Government Efficiency” Cost Efficiency Initiative. Coloradoans may believe that our Democrat-led state legislature will surely cut back on bills with a fiscal impact, but that would be an incorrect assumption; they just tweak the fiscal note.

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Elizabeth schools win court stay—banned books won’t return yet

Elbert County News, Approved, Local / / , ,

On Thursday, April 3, a Denver-based federal judge ordered the Elizabeth School District to place 19 removed books on library shelves by the weekend, but on the morning of Friday, April 4, a judge with the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals issued a stay, meaning the books will remain off the shelves pending further legal proceedings.

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Davis: Democrat lawmakers target faith as discriminatory under HB25-1312

Commentary, Approved, Rocky Mountain Voice, State / / , , , ,

Colorado is rapidly becoming one of the nation’s most “progressive” states.

And by “progressive,” I mean “radically opposed to God, family, life, marriage, and basic human biology and aggressively hostile to anyone who holds historic conservative and Christian beliefs on these issues.”

Welcome to the modern Left—this ain’t your grandaddy’s Democrat Party.

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Judge overrides parents, reinstates graphic books mid-appeal

coloradopolitics.com, Approved, Local / / , ,

A federal judge on Thursday refused to put her prior ruling on hold while an appeal plays out, and instead ordered Elizabeth School District to return 19 restricted books to library shelves by Saturday.

U.S. District Court Judge Charlotte N. Sweeney rejected the Elbert County district’s claims that her original order was unfair, “breathtakingly broad” and would require whole new library policies. She also slammed the district for disclosing, only after she issued her order, that it had “discarded” the disputed books entirely.

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Democrat Rep. Zokaie compares concerned parents to KKK during hearing on HB25-1312

Fox News, Approved, State / / , , , ,

A Colorado Democrat likened parent groups to “the KKK” during an hours-long committee hearing for a controversial bill that could see parents accused of “coercive control” in custody fights for using a trans child’s “deadname.”

“I really am curious about how much stakeholdering went on both sides of the issue, and not just one side,” Republican state Rep. Jarvis Caldwell said during the hearing, which began Monday night and ran into early Tuesday. “I’m curious with if the businesses in the community were included in these and if parent groups that are not part of the LGBT community if they were involved.”

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Cole: Colorado’s gender bills sideline parents and rush kids into harm

Top Stories, Approved, Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice, State / / , , , ,

On Friday, March 28, Colorado legislators introduced House Bill 25-1309 and House Bill 25-1312, proposals crafted to safeguard transgender youth. Their aims are well-meaning: one mandates insurance coverage for gender-affirming treatments such as hormone therapy and surgeries, while the other anchors gender identity within custody law to protect vulnerable children. 

Yet, beneath these noble intentions lies a troubling prospect—lasting harm to the very youth they seek to shield, coupled with an alarming shift of authority from parents to the state.

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Education Department cracks down on schools that keep secrets from parents

National, Approved, Rocky Mountain Voice, Top Stories / / , ,

The U.S. Department of Education under Secretary Linda McMahon has announced a sweeping effort to enforce existing federal laws that protect parental rights in public schools. The March 28 directive reaffirms parents’ authority over their children’s education and mental health records—specifically targeting public school policies that have kept parents in the dark.

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