§ 601.1

601.1 Parents and guardians — rights. 1. For purposes of this section:a. 'Emergent care situation' means a sudden or unforeseen occurrence or onset of a medical or behavioral condition that could result in serious injury or harm to a minor childin the event immediate medical attention is not provided. b. 'Medical care' means any care, treatment, service, or procedure to prevent, diagnose, alleviate, treat, or cure a minor child’s physical or mental condition. c. 'Minor child' means an unmarried and unemancipated person under the age of eighteen years. 2. Subject to section 147.164, a parent or guardian bears the ultimate responsibility, and has the fundamental, constitutionally protected right, to make decisions affecting the parent’sor guardian’s minor child, including decisions related to the minor child’s medical care, moralupbringing, religious upbringing, residence, education, and extracurricular activities. Anyand all restrictions of this right shall be subject to strict scrutiny. 3. This section shall not be construed to prohibit any of the following:a. A minor child from receiving medical attention in an emergent care situation.b.

s right shall be subject to strict scrutiny. 3. This section shall not be construed to prohibit any of the following:a. A minor child from receiving medical attention in an emergent care situation.b. A person from cooperating in a child abuse assessment commenced in accordance with section 232.71B. c. A court from issuing an order that is permitted by law.4. This section shall not be construed to authorize a parent or guardian to engage in conduct that is unlawful or to abuse or neglect a minor child in violation of the laws of thisstate. 5. The rights guaranteed to parents and guardians by this section are not a comprehensive list of the rights reserved to parents or guardians of a minor child. The enumeration of therights contained in this section shall not be construed to limit the rights reserved to parentsor guardians of a minor child. 2023 Acts, ch 91, §24NEW section Sat Dec 23 11:14:12 2023 Iowa Code 2024, Section 601.1 (2, 2)