Earlier this month, the Alabama Republican Party (ALGOP) laid out its 2025 legislative agenda. One of its priorities is the legislature passing bills "strengthening families."
One option offered is the "DHR Transparency and Integrity Act," which State Rep. Kenneth Paschal (R-Pelham) will soon introduce.
The Alabama Department of Human Resources is responsible for the state's Family Services Division, which includes Child Protective Services, tasked with preventing abuse and neglect.
Paschal detailed the plan of a bill he intends to file during an appearance on Mobile radio FM Talk 106.5's "Midday Mobile."
In the interview, Paschal said the bill would require the Alabama Department of Human Resources to "notify parents of their rights."
Paschal described the legislation: "Well, my bill is just bringing transparency and protecting parents' due process rights." He pointed out that the bill "is not going to give parents due process rights. We have those already." Those rights can be found on the DHR website along with its other policies.
The new legislation would require that DHR employees be trained in those rights before they undergo or participate in investigations.
The bill would require employees to give families information, such as a handout, "saying that you have the right to allow them in your household. You have a right to refuse them in your household. You have a right to record the conversation."
He says his proposed legislation would also require DHR to "notify the parents of the administrative review."
The primary purpose here is to "create uniformity," Paschal said, adding, "We have some of the best child protected policies in the nation. The problem we're seeing, they don't follow their own policies sometimes."
"So this is going to kind of help with that," he continued. "But also help de-isolate situations by making sure parents understand they do have due process rights. And at the same time, we want to highlight again, we do need DHR, but we got to have that balance as far as protecting parental rights and then government intervention."
According to a statement accompanying the ALGOP's legislative priorities, "The family is the cornerstone of a strong, stable, and prosperous society. It is within the family unit that children should receive the love, guidance, and moral values they need to grow into responsible, capable, and principled individuals. The Alabama Republican Party believes that strengthening families must be a top priority. That means supporting policies that help mothers in need, protecting children from harmful influences, and promoting keeping families together. By defending the family, we are safeguarding the foundation of our society and ensuring a brighter future for generations to come."
Apryl Marie Fogel is a Birmingham resident who frequently appears on and guest hosts radio programs around the state. She can be reached at [email protected] or on X and Facebook at @aprylmarie.
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