<div class="xtend"><a id="pl.1.1"></a><var>1.1</var>A resolution<br />
         		<a id="pl.1.2"></a><var>1.2</var>urging the members of the United States Congress to propose the Parental Rights <br />
         		<a id="pl.1.3"></a><var>1.3</var>Amendment to the Constitution of the United States relating to parental rights.<br />
         		<a id="pl.1.4"></a><var>1.4</var>WHEREAS, the right of parents to direct the upbringing and education of their children <br />
         		<a id="pl.1.5"></a><var>1.5</var>is a fundamental right protected by the Constitutions of the United States and the State of <br />
         		<a id="pl.1.6"></a><var>1.6</var>Minnesota; and <br />
         		<a id="pl.1.7"></a><var>1.7</var>WHEREAS, our nation has historically relied first and foremost on parents to meet the <br />
         		<a id="pl.1.8"></a><var>1.8</var>real and constant needs of their children; and <br />
         		<a id="pl.1.9"></a><var>1.9</var>WHEREAS, the interests of children are best served when parents are free to make <br />
         		<a id="pl.1.10"></a><var>1.10</var>child rearing decisions about education, religion, and other areas of a child's life without state <br />
         		<a id="pl.1.11"></a><var>1.11</var>interference; and<br />
         		<a id="pl.1.12"></a><var>1.12</var>WHEREAS, the United States Supreme Court in Wisconsin v. Yoder (1972) held that this <br />
         		<a id="pl.1.13"></a><var>1.13</var>primary role of parents in the upbringing of their children is now established beyond debate as an <br />
         		<a id="pl.1.14"></a><var>1.14</var>enduring American tradition; and <br />
         		<a id="pl.1.15"></a><var>1.15</var>WHEREAS, the United States Supreme Court in Troxel v. Granville (2000) produced six <br />
         		<a id="pl.1.16"></a><var>1.16</var>different opinions on the nature and enforceability of parental rights under the United States <br />
         		<a id="pl.1.17"></a><var>1.17</var>Constitution; and <br />
         		<a id="pl.1.18"></a><var>1.18</var>WHEREAS, that decision has created confusion and ambiguity about the fundamental <br />
         		<a id="pl.1.19"></a><var>1.19</var>nature of parental rights in the laws and society of the several states; and <br />
         		<a id="pl.2.1"></a><var>2.1</var>WHEREAS, the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, has been proposed <br />
         		<a id="pl.2.2"></a><var>2.2</var>and may soon be considered for ratification by the United States Senate, which would drastically <br />
         		<a id="pl.2.3"></a><var>2.3</var>alter this fundamental right of parents to direct the upbringing of their children; and<br />
         		<a id="pl.2.4"></a><var>2.4</var>WHEREAS, this convention, has been acceded to by 192 nations worldwide, and has <br />
         		<a id="pl.2.5"></a><var>2.5</var>already been cited by United States courts as customary international law; and <br />
         		<a id="pl.2.6"></a><var>2.6</var>WHEREAS, international influence is being exerted on the United States Supreme Court, <br />
         		<a id="pl.2.7"></a><var>2.7</var>as demonstrated in Roper v. Simmons (2005), where the court referred to the laws of other <br />
         		<a id="pl.2.8"></a><var>2.8</var>countries and to the international authorities as instructive for its interpretation of the United <br />
         		<a id="pl.2.9"></a><var>2.9</var>States Constitution; and <br />
         		<a id="pl.2.10"></a><var>2.10</var>WHEREAS, Senator James DeMint of the State of South Carolina and Representative Jeff <br />
         		<a id="pl.2.11"></a><var>2.11</var>Fortenberry of the State of Nebraska have introduced in the United States Congress the following <br />
         		<a id="pl.2.12"></a><var>2.12</var>amendment to the United States Constitution to prevent erosion of the enduring American <br />
         		<a id="pl.2.13"></a><var>2.13</var>tradition of treating parental rights as fundamental rights:<br />
         		<a id="pl.2.14"></a><var>2.14</var>Section 1: The liberty of parents to direct the upbringing and education of their children is <br />
         		<a id="pl.2.15"></a><var>2.15</var>a fundamental right.<br />
         		<a id="pl.2.16"></a><var>2.16</var>Section 2: Neither the United States nor any state shall infringe upon this right without <br />
         		<a id="pl.2.17"></a><var>2.17</var>demonstrating that its governmental interest as applied to the person is of the highest order <br />
         		<a id="pl.2.18"></a><var>2.18</var>and not otherwise served.<br />
         		<a id="pl.2.19"></a><var>2.19</var>Section 3: No treaty may be adopted nor shall any source of international law be employed <br />
         		<a id="pl.2.20"></a><var>2.20</var>to supersede, modify, interpret, or apply to the rights guaranteed by this article;<br />
         		<a id="pl.2.21"></a><var>2.21</var>WHEREAS, this amendment will add explicit text to the Constitution of the United States <br />
         		<a id="pl.2.22"></a><var>2.22</var>to forever protect the rights of parents as they are now enjoyed, without substantive change to <br />
         		<a id="pl.2.23"></a><var>2.23</var>current state or federal laws respecting these rights; and <br />
         		<a id="pl.2.24"></a><var>2.24</var>WHEREAS, the enumeration of these rights in the text of the Constitution will preserve <br />
         		<a id="pl.2.25"></a><var>2.25</var>them from being infringed upon by the shifting ideologies and interpretations of the United <br />
         		<a id="pl.2.26"></a><var>2.26</var>States Supreme Court; and <br />
         		<a id="pl.2.27"></a><var>2.27</var>WHEREAS, the enumeration of these rights in the text of the Constitution will preserve <br />
         		<a id="pl.2.28"></a><var>2.28</var>them from being infringed upon by treaty or international law; NOW, THEREFORE, <br />
         		<a id="pl.2.29"></a><var>2.29</var>NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Legislature of the State of Minnesota <br />
         		<a id="pl.2.30"></a><var>2.30</var>that it affirms the Parental Rights Amendment to the United States Constitution as presented <br />
         		<a id="pl.3.1"></a><var>3.1</var>to the United States Congress by Senator James DeMint of the State of South Carolina and <br />
         		<a id="pl.3.2"></a><var>3.2</var>Representative Jeff Fortenberry of Nebraska.<br />
         		<a id="pl.3.3"></a><var>3.3</var>BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that it urges the members of Minnesota's Congressional <br />
         		<a id="pl.3.4"></a><var>3.4</var>delegation to support the proposed Amendment by cosponsoring H.J. Res. 42 in the United States <br />
         		<a id="pl.3.5"></a><var>3.5</var>House of Representatives or S.J. Res. 16 in the United States Senate, as appropriate.<br />
         		<a id="pl.3.6"></a><var>3.6</var>BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that it urges the members of the United States Congress to <br />
         		<a id="pl.3.7"></a><var>3.7</var>propose the Amendment to the Constitution of the United States to the states for ratification.<br />
         		<a id="pl.3.8"></a><var>3.8</var>BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Secretary of State of the State of Minnesota is <br />
         		<a id="pl.3.9"></a><var>3.9</var>directed to prepare copies of this memorial and transmit them to the President and the Secretary of <br />
         		<a id="pl.3.10"></a><var>3.10</var>the United States Senate, the Speaker and the Clerk of the United States House of Representatives, <br />
         		<a id="pl.3.11"></a><var>3.11</var>and Minnesota's Senators and Representatives in Congress.<br />
         		
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