I am writing to alert parents to a bill under consideration in Olympia. House Bill 2193 would permit non-related adults to petition the courts for visitation with other people’s children (including sex offenders under certain conditions) if they can demonstrate they have an undefined “substantial relationship” with the child. Two previous attempts have been ruled unconstitutional as this kind of forced visitation denies fit parents the right to raise their own children without interference from the state.
I urge all parents to read about this bill and contact their legislators about it. Our 18th District representative, Ann Rivers, R-La Center, is both a co-sponsor of this bill as well as a member of the Judiciary Committee reviewing it before sending it to the Washington House of Representatives for a general vote. No, I do not know what she was thinking.
Mary McCarthy
Yacolt
