New York State Insider: Prop One Could Negate Hochul Teen Social Media Protections.

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: PROP ONE COULD NEGATE GOVERNOR HOCHUL’S TEEN SOCIAL MEDIA EFFORTS:  NONPARTISAN GROUP.   Could Challenge Age-old, Common-Sense Restrictions for New York Children and Adolescents.    New York - June 7…Governor Kathy Hochul’s commendable efforts to protect children from harmful social media feeds could be negated if her November ballot initiative, Prop One, passes, the nonpartisan children’s advocacy group Coalition to Protect Kids - NY today warned.  The ballot proposal is currently on hold, pending a New York Appellate Court decision.  The case is set for argument June 17 in Rochester.    The issue is “age discrimination”, which would be Constitutionally outlawed in New York under Mrs. Hochul’s controversial proposal. Since the amendment makes no exceptions for minors, children under the age of 18 would be able to claim the Gov. Hochul’s social media ban qualifies as “age discrimination” under the amendment.    “New York parents are grateful that Governor Hochul is concerned about the mental health of our children, but her ballot proposal, which many are calling the Parent Replacement Act, would make any restrictions based on age potentially unconstitutional in New York,” said Holly Grant, a mother of four and a supporter of Coalition to Protect Kids-NY. “Prop One was written so broadly that it could take away sensible protections for children that have been established for decades. Parents across the state are raising a giant red flag here; just look at the language in the initiative.”    “We have consulted with several leading New York State attorneys, and each of them has expressed alarm at the vague and uncertain language in this initiative,” said Coalition to Protect Kids - NY Executive Director Greg Garvey. “This hastily passed initiative represents a major threat to New York children and parents. Passing Prop One could open the biggest can of worms in memory. Mrs. Hochul and her colleagues should go back to the drawing board.”    Coalition to Protect Kids - NY has also raised concerns about provisions in the initiative that could give biological males a Constitutional right to play on girls’ and womens' sports teams in New York. It could also prevent parents from knowing if a child is gender transitioning in school, the group notes.    The Coalition to Protect Kids-NY is a nonpartisan ballot issue committee registered with the New York State Board of Elections. It is composed of New Yorkers from all walks of life dedicated to defeating the so-called Equal Rights Amendment to the New York State Constitution.