Latest news with #HB1296
Yahoo
28-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Democrats in WA Legislature shift approach to parental and students' rights bills
The Washington state Capitol on March 27, 2025. (Photo by Jacquelyn Jimenez Romero/Washington State Standard) A tense debate over the rights of public school students and their parents took another twist in the Washington Legislature on Thursday. Democrats on a Senate committee stripped a House bill of provisions dealing with parental rights, while leaving parts covering students' rights. A Senate-approved bill on parental rights is still pending in the House, setting up a situation where the two related sets of issues are on track to be handled with separate pieces of legislation. The Senate Early Learning and K-12 Education Committee passed the amended version of House Bill 1296 on a party-line vote. Sen. Claire Wilson, D-Auburn, put forward the amendment that removed the language about parental rights, and said it was part of a strategy to keep the bills moving forward to address some of the issues involved before the session ends on April 27. 'It's keeping all doors open and all windows open so we can make sure something ends on the other side,' Wilson said. Rep. Monica Stonier, D-Vancouver, sponsor of the House bill, said that she would have rather not seen this language removed from the bill, but that the end goal is still the same: to have policies covering students' rights and parental rights. 'There's nothing in my mind that doesn't allow for students' rights to exist concurrently with parental rights, I don't see any conflict there,' Stonier said. Examples of students' rights included in HB 1296 include the right to learn in a safe, supportive learning environment, free from harassment, intimidation, or bullying; to receive copies of all school policies and procedures related to students; and to access academic courses and instructional materials with historically and scientifically accurate information. Wilson's rewrite also added language from another bill she sponsored, Senate Bill 5179, which is about reporting complaints to the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction when certain policies are not followed by schools. The parental and students' rights legislation now under discussion is tied to a citizen initiative lawmakers approved last year. That measure, Initiative 2081, called for public school materials, such as textbooks, curriculum and a child's medical records, to be easily available for review by parents. It also sought to clear the way for parents to opt their child out of assignments and other activities involving questions about the student's sexual experiences or their family's religious beliefs. Democrats said when Initiative 2081 was approved, they would likely need to clean up some of the language to align with other state and federal laws. But Republicans argue that Democrats are now trying to roll back rights granted to parents in the initiative. Mixed into the debate are arguments over gender and transgender issues in schools. 'This bill continues the war against parents' rights and puts girls at risk at schools,' said Sen. Jim McCune, R-Graham. Senate Bill 5181, the Senate bill on parental rights, is scheduled for a possible committee vote on March 31 in the House Education Committee. Stonier, sponsor of the House bill, is among the committee's members.
Yahoo
21-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Fight over parental rights heats up in Washington
The Brief A lot was said in Olympia on Thursday over the topic of parental rights. A senate education committee brought up House Bill 1296, which opponents say undermines parental rights, while supporters argue it will protect the privacy of students. OLYMPIA, Wash. - A lot was said in Olympia on Thursday over the topic of parental rights. The backstory A senate education committee brought up House Bill 1296, which opponents say undermines parental rights, while supporters argue it will protect the privacy of students, especially transgender kids. The ongoing fight over parental rights started with the creation of Initiative 2081, championed by Brian Heywood. I-2081 got enough signatures to make it on the ballot last year, so the legislature went ahead and adopted the parental rights bill into law. It specifically names 15 rights that parents have, including getting access to information about their kids. Heywood's group, Lets Go Washington, says the intent was to diminish confusion and streamline the rules across all school districts. It's about cementing the fact that parents are the primary stakeholder of their kids. The ACLU, along with others, sued, saying the parental rights bill was not constitutional. In the end, the state supreme court sided with Heywood, saying the parental rights bill was legal. Despite that decision, Democrats are moving forward with tweaking the measure this year through HB 1296. They want to remove several rights from parents, including access to automatic healthcare information. The main sponsor of 1296 is Rep. Monica Jurado Stonier of Vancouver, who is also a teacher. She says it's about being gender-inclusive. "There is a lot of science on how gender presents, how sex presents biologically and as we learn more and more about that we just should back up and include every student in a loving and supportive school no matter how they come," Stonier said. Stonier said 'all genders' would be welcomed, which led Republican Senator Jim McCune to ask what that meant. "I am trying to understand the point of your question with the relation to the policy, policy is directed at including every student in the school environment," Stonier said. After that, the committee held a public hearing where many people signed up to speak on both sides. Supporters said it was important for kids, especially transgender students, to be able to get healthcare in privacy. They also say teachers who help should not be afraid of retaliation. "As an organization that is lead by young people, we encompass a range of identities that greatly impact our ability to navigate communities and good communication on those identities especially when it comes to gender expression," Bailey Medilo with The Washington Bus said. Opponents testified, with one woman saying the current conversation over the matter was "absolutely insane." Meanwhile, another speaker with the Eatonville School Board said I-2081 restored confidence back in schools, encouraging more parent involvement. "Unfortunately, since discussion began about repealing the initiative, Eatonville School District has lost nearly 40 students, which is significant in our school district," Ronda Litzenberger said. A previous version of HB 1296 contained a provision that schools did not have to immediately alert parents even if their child was sexually or physically assaulted. After pushback, that language was taken out and schools will now be required to alert parents immediately. The full house has already passed HB 1296, and it is expected to make it to the full Senate floor for a vote. The Source Information in this story is from the Washington State Legislature and FOX 13 Seattle reporting. Top aide for WA Gov. Ferguson resigns over workplace complaints, report Seattle police arrest man accused of more than 20 bank robberies Here's where Seattle renters are relocating Seattle's Capitol Hill Block Party announces 2025 lineup, changes to event Could Bryan Kohberger's autism defense for capital murder set a precedent? To get the best local news, weather and sports in Seattle for free, sign up for the daily FOX Seattle Newsletter. Download the free FOX LOCAL app for mobile in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store for live Seattle news, top stories, weather updates and more local and national coverage, plus 24/7 streaming coverage from across the nation.
Yahoo
13-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
No more waiting – Schools must notify parents immediately under reworked House bill
This story was originally published on Parents in Washington just scored a big win in their right to know what's happening with their kids at school. After more than six hours of debate, the Washington State House passed House Bill 1296 at 2:15 a.m. Thursday morning, along party lines, with a 56-47 vote. All Democrats voted in favor, and all Republicans opposed it. Five members were excused from voting. Despite the changes, opponents are still very unhappy about the premise of the bill. A total of 131 amendments were proposed, including a striking amendment — a complete rewrite of the bill. The approved rewrite clarifies a critical change: schools must now notify parents immediately if something serious happens to their child, eliminating the previous 48-hour window. This means that if a student is the victim of a crime at school, is detained for a serious issue or is questioned by law enforcement, parents will be informed right away. This requirement was originally part of the underlying Parent Bill of Rights Initiative 2018, but lawmakers have since narrowed the scope of immediate notification. Related from MyNorthwest: WA lawmakers accuse one another of lying about student privacy Before this bill, schools had up to 48 hours to notify parents in certain situations. Here's what the new law now requires schools to do immediately: Criminal Activity on School Property – If a student is the victim of a crime while at school, their parents must be notified immediately. No more waiting for updates. Student Detentions – If a student is detained at school for a crime, their parents must be informed right away. Police Questioning – If law enforcement conducts a custodial interrogation (meaning they're questioning a student in a serious legal situation), the school must notify the parents immediately—unless the parents themselves are being investigated for abuse or neglect. Student Removal from School – Schools must have clear procedures in place, and students cannot be taken off campus without following these established rules. Republicans have argued that Democratic lawmakers should maintain the original elements of the Parent Bill of Rights, while Democrats claim the initiative contained errors and HB 1296 is intended to correct them. Opponents of the revised bill remain concerned about parental notification in cases where students make independent health care decisions, including transgender care. To avoid legal gray areas, the reworked bill clarifies the following: No changes to health privacy laws – Schools must still comply with state laws governing student health information. If a student has private medical records, HB 1296 does not alter who can access them. Youth shelters and protective custody – The law does not override existing protections for children in crisis, such as those in shelters or host homes due to abuse or neglect. No legal recourse for parents – While HB 1296 establishes clear parental rights, it does not grant parents the ability to sue if schools fail to comply with the notification requirements. More from MyNorthwest: WA among 21 states suing Trump Administration over 'illegal' Education Department firings Beyond emergency notifications, HB 1296 strengthens parents' rights to access school records. The bill expands the definition of 'education records' to include everything in a student's file—attendance records, test scores, disciplinary reports, individualized education plans (IEPs), and more. Parents can now request a copy of their child's records, and schools are legally required to provide them within 45 days, ensuring families stay informed about their child's academic progress. The bill mirrors SB 5181, which passed the state Senate last month. With HB 1296 now heading to the Senate and the Senate bill moving to the House, Democratic leaders said Thursday that both chambers are discussing whether to combine the bills or choose one to advance. This is a developing story — expect updates throughout the day.
