Current Kentucky law allows minors to seek certain types of health care without notifying their parents, namely sexual health care, drug abuse treatment and mental health counseling.

But should parents have complete authority over their child's medical records?

That's the question posed to a panel of Kentucky senators.

Our Clayton Dalton has more as we start tonight's legislative update.

So I had some constituents that came to me because when their child turned the age of 13, they lost access to their medical records until the 13 year old physically came into the medical practice and signed a consent granting the parent access to the records.

House Bill 174 ensures that parents have access to their child's medical records until they turn 18.

The sponsor says doctors will still have the discretion to withhold records if they suspect abuse or neglect.

Senator Karen Burg, a Democrat and a physician, pressed the sponsor about how this bill could play out in difficult scenarios.

If you have a 16 or 17 year old woman who has been sexually abused by her father and is seeking treatment either for her mental health or physically, what will this bill do to her ability to keep her medical records private from her abuser?

I'm not a lawyer, but my understanding would be I'm assuming you're saying protect it from the person who was the perpetrator.

And I would think that the provider would see that as a risk of abuse or neglect.

Disclosing those records to the person she's saying committed those crimes.

So I believe they're protected.

The provider that medical provider is the one that you're going to say tells the family they don't have access to the medical records.

After we just passed a bill that said they do.

Kentucky Voices for Health, a liberal policy organization, says giving doctors discretion to disclose or withhold medical records from parents is too big of a burden.

This is another attack on our health care workforce.

We are already facing massive shortages in all kinds of health care providers, and this throws our providers into weird legal limbo.

And when when that happens, providers get killed.

When that happens, providers say, I throw up my hands, I call uncle.

I can't figure it out.

Planned Parenthood of Kentucky says they believe House Bill 174 could make minors uncomfortable sharing sensitive information with their doctors.

Kids are uncomfortable to have these conversations.

And now, you know, with a bill like this passes, we're going to have to disclose to minors under the age of 18 that all of your medical records, upon request of your parents, mental health, reproductive health, are going to be turned over to your parents.

This is going to create a chilling president.

But some Republican lawmakers see this as a parental rights issue.

And, you know, as a parent, I'm responsible for insurance.

I'm responsible for food.

I'm responsible for paying for the doggone health care.

And then someone tells me I may have a role in the decisions that my child makes.

Really?

Are you kidding me?

And the idea that just because my child might be doing something wrong, I don't get to know about it.

All the more reason I should get to know about it.

Because then I know and I can direct him in the way that he should go or she should go, because that's how I see fit.

And it is not up to anyone to tell me my child is someone can have some influence over my child in their health care without my involvement.

This is a this is a non-issue.

This is absolutely a yes vote for parental rights.

House Bill 174 passed out of committee along party lines and now heads to the Senate for a full vote.

For kentucky edition, I'm Clayton Dalton.

Lawmakers on that committee also heard the mob numbers, bill a sweeping piece of legislation to support mothers and children.

It passed with unanimous support and now also moves on to the senate floor.