Caregiver Authorization Affidavit for Parents

HB1377 creates a straightforward legal instrument called the caregiver authorization affidavit. Through this document, a parent can designate a trusted adult — a grandparent, aunt, uncle, or close family friend — to make day-to-day educational and healthcare decisions for a child. No court appearance is required, no guardianship is transferred, and the parent's authority remains fully intact throughout.

The bill is built around a clear hierarchy: the authorizing parent's decisions always supersede those of the designated caregiver. The affidavit cannot be used to circumvent existing court orders, and it contains explicit protections against abuse for school enrollment purposes. The instrument is narrow by design, which means its legal footprint is modest and its potential for misuse is low.

From a faith-informed perspective, this bill recognizes what Scripture and natural law have long affirmed: parents bear primary responsibility for the care and upbringing of their children. When life circumstances require a parent to rely on extended family or trusted members of their community, the state should facilitate that arrangement rather than obstruct it with costly and burdensome legal proceedings.

Today, without this bill, a parent who needs a grandparent or church elder to enroll a child in school or consent to a medical appointment may face significant legal and bureaucratic barriers. HB1377 removes those barriers while preserving every safeguard that protects the child and the integrity of the parent's authority. This is practical, principled policy that strengthens the family as the foundational institution of a healthy society.

The American Council urges legislators to support HB1377. It costs the state nothing, imposes no new mandates, and delivers a meaningful expansion of parental freedom. It is the kind of legislation that trusts families to care for their own children — and that trust is well placed.