Parental Rights Bills Advance Across the Nation
In a historic move, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 5, the Parents Bill of Rights Act this past Friday (1). The bill requires schools to notify parents of their rights regarding the
education of their children, including the rights to review the curriculum, meet with teachers, inspect the books, and more (2).
Long-time observers say this is the first parental rights bill that has been ever approved by the House of Representatives, now our friends at SAVE and Parentalrights.org have given an update on the advance of parental rights legislation at the state level as well.
Thus far in 2023, parental rights bills have been introduced in 25 states across the country. In some states, two or more parental rights bills are under consideration:
1. Alaska - HB 105 and SB 96
2. Alabama - HB 6
3. Arizona - SB 1005
4. Connecticut - SB 280, SB 269, SB 279, and SB 278
5. Georgia - SB 88
6. Hawaii - HB 1363
7. Iowa - SF 496
8. Indiana - HB 1407 and SB 413
9. Louisiana - HB 152
10. Maine - LR 1329
11. Maryland - HB 666 and SB 566
12. Minnesota - HF 682, HF 353, and SF 76
13. Missouri - SB 4, HB 165, HB 482, SB 134, and S.J. Res 29
14. Mississippi - HB 509
15. North Dakota - HB 1403 and SB 2260
16. Nebraska - LB 374
17. New Hampshire - HB 10
18. Ohio - HB 8
19. Oklahoma - SB 95
20. South Carolina - HB 3197, HB 3463, HB 3485, and SB 234
21. Texas - HB 42, H.J.R 58, HB 631, SB 394, and SJR 29
22. Utah - SB 93 and SB 100
23. Virginia - HB 2170 and HB 1707
24. Washington - SB 5024
25. West Virginia - HB 3118
These bills reveal how parental rights has become a hot button issue as growing numbers of parents from across the political spectrum express alarm over policies that allow schools to promote sexually charged agendas to students. Many of these policies are based on controversial interpretations of the federal Title IX law, which was originally intended to stop sex discrimination in schools (3).
The parental rights issue has now become a bipartisan issue. For example, the New York Times published an article highlighting the concerns of parents in liberal Westchester County, NY, who were kept in the dark about their child’s gender dilemmas (4). In January, Democrat Jimmy Gomez of California established the first-ever Congressional Dads Caucus (5).
We also have an update on parental rights bills being introduced in the states from William Estrada, President of Parentalrights.org. www.parentalrights.org
In Alabama, Rep. Kenneth Paschal has pre-filed a fundamental parental rights bill, HB 6. We are working to try to get a hearing.
In Hawaii, Representative Diamond Garcia has introduced HB 1363, fundamental parental rights.
In Indiana, HB 1407, a joint fundamental parental rights bill and bill clarifying that refusing to transition a child is not child abuse or neglect, has passed the Indiana House, and is pending in the Indiana Senate.
In Iowa, HF 486, a fundamental parental rights bill, has been introduced. It has since been rolled into the Governor’s bill, SF 496. While SF 496 protects parental rights, it did not include fundamental or strict scrutiny. Working with Barb Heki, our state coordinator, we successfully added this language to it, and SF 496 passed the Iowa Senate on March 22.
In Louisiana, Representative Beryl Amedee has introduced H.B. 152, a fundamental parental rights amendment to the Louisiana Constitution.
In Maine, LR 1329, a fundamental parental rights bill, has been introduced.
In Maryland, HB 666 and SB 566, both fundamental parental rights bills, have been introduced. We testified in support of SB 566 before the Senate Judiciary Committee and submitted written testimony in support of HB 666 before the House Judiciary Committee.
In Mississippi, HB 1489, a fundamental parental rights bill, was introduced, but died in committee.
In Minnesota, a proposed parental rights amendment to the state constitution has been introduced, HF 682.
In Missouri, we are working with our friends to get several parental rights bills to be strengthened to specify that parental rights are fundamental and that strict scrutiny shall apply in any state actions to restrict parental rights. In addition, SJR 29, a proposed parental rights amendment to the Missouri Constitution, has been introduced.
In Nebraska, a fundamental parental rights bill, LB 374, has also been introduced.
In New Hampshire, we supported HB 10, a fundamental parental rights bill. It failed on the House floor on March 22, by a vote of 189-195.
In North Dakota, we have been working with legislators to support HB 1403, our fundamental parental rights bill, with a private right of action. HB 1403 did not pass, but a companion version, SB 2260, which also has our fundamental parental rights language, has passed the Senate, as well as the House Judiciary Committee. We submitted written testimony in support of the bill in advance of a hearing of the House Human Services Committee.
In Pennsylvania, we are working with our state coordinators to reintroduce our fundamental parental rights legislation, but no bill has yet been introduced.
In South Carolina, HB 3197, a fundamental parental rights bill, has been introduced. Similar bills we support are HB 3485 and S. 234.
In South Dakota, we supported HB 1139 by Representative Sue Peterson, our model fundamental parental rights bill. The bill was withdrawn by the sponsor.
In Texas, we are supporting HJR 85, a fundamental parental rights amendment to the Texas Constitution, as well as several CPS reform bills.
In Virginia, we supported a fundamental parental rights amendment to the Virginia Constitution, HJR 505, which did not get a committee vote, and has died.
In West Virginia, HB 3118 has been introduced, which would strengthen West Virginia’s current law protecting parental rights, establishing parental rights as fundamental, and creating a private right of action.
Links:
https://thehill.com/homenews/house/3916114-house-republicans-pass-parents-bill-of-rights/
https://www.saveservices.org/2022-policy/network/parental-rights/
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/22/us/gender-identity-students-parents.html
https://www.npr.org/2023/01/28/1151723607/democrats-congressional-dads-caucus
H.R. 5
Parents Bill of Rights
parental notification
Attorney General Merrick Garland
FBI school board meetings
Speaker Kevin McCarthy
Parents’ Bill of Rights Act
Rep. Chip Roy
Rep. Lauren Boebert
House Freedom Caucus
State parental rights laws