The controversial House Bill 173 advanced yesterday. Republican State Representative Kim Kendall is sponsoring the bill for the second year in a row. It would limit minors’ ability to access certain health care services without parental consent. The bill would also give parents full access to their child’s medical records unless the parent is under investigation or a law enforcement agent request for the records to not be released. “I was told this was a partisan bill, and I refused to accept that.” Rep. Kendall said during the committee meeting. “Everybody in this legislature cares about our kids. We just have different ways to do it.” How does HB 173 work? HB 173 would strike part of the state’s family planning statues, sexually transmitted statues and mental health statues. It would restrict STI treatment for minors to examinations-only, limit mental health services to “immediate, onsite behavioral health crisis services” from mobile response teams and remove access to “materna...