State Rep. Jennifer Wortz today celebrated the successful vote from the House Committee on Families and Veterans on her plan to ensure that parents seeking second medical opinions regarding their child are not subject to allegations of abuse or neglect. 

“Medicine is not always one-size-fits-all,” said Wortz (R-Quincy). “Qualified health professionals can and do disagree on diagnoses and treatment options. Clarifying that a parent or guardian’s decision to follow an alternative professional recommendation does not constitute neglect recognizes the realities of healthcare and protects parental decision-making.” 

House Bill 5163, introduced by Wortz, would amend the definitions of the Child Protection Law to clarify that “child neglect” does not include circumstances in which a person responsible for a child’s welfare declines a treatment plan recommended by one health professional in order to seek a second opinion or to follow an alternative treatment plan recommended by another qualified health professional. 

“My bill strikes a necessary balance between protecting children and respecting the judgment of parents,” Wortz said. “It ensures that child neglect laws remain focused on situations where children are denied necessary protection, rather than penalizing families who responsibly seek additional medical treatment.”