Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Extensive opposition at committee hearing warns Ohio family-law rewrite would expand judicial discretion and undermine parental rights
Summary
Senate Bill 174, a proposed revamp of Ohio family law, drew broad opposition at a third hearing from parents, advocates and experts who said the bill substitutes rhetoric for reform, expands judicial discretion, and could harm protective parents and children without accountability measures.
Senate Bill 174, a comprehensive rewrite of domestic-relations provisions, drew sustained opposition at its third Senate Judiciary Committee hearing from parents, advocates, legal scholars and community members who said the bill would expand judicial authority, remove references to parental rights and risk inconsistent outcomes across counties.
Opponents from multiple organizations and private citizens described the bill as a countermeasure to citizen-led equal-parenting reforms and said it lacks meaningful safeguards. Don Hubin, chair of the National Parents Organization board, told the committee that removing the phrase "parental rights" from more than 150 places in statute is not merely rhetorical and that parental rights have a long line of constitutional protection. "Parental rights are not about treating children as property," he said, and he…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
