Latest news with #I-2081
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.
Axios
25-02-2025
- Health
- Axios
Washington lawmakers debate changes to "parents' bill of rights"
Democrats are trying to amend the "parents' bill of rights" Washington's Legislature passed last year, including by removing requirements that parents be notified of medical services their children receive through school. Why it matters: The debate reflects a tug-of-war between the new law that was sought by conservatives last year and the state's long history of letting teens decide their own mental and reproductive health care. Previous Washington laws allowed teenagers to seek outpatient mental health treatment, sexually transmitted disease testing and abortions without requiring parental notification or consent. Catch up quick: Initiative 2081 guaranteed parents of public school children more than a dozen rights, including to inspect their children's school records and receive notice of medical care delivered or arranged for at school. Parts of the measure were on hold until last month, when a King County Superior Court judge dismissed a legal challenge that sought to overturn the initiative. What they're saying: State Sen. Claire Wilson (D-Federal Way) said in a Senate floor speech this month that "redundancies" and "contradictions" exist between I-2081 and other state and federal laws, causing confusion for school districts that are trying to implement the new initiative. Wilson said her proposal, Senate Bill 5181, is a "cleanup bill" that focuses on "protecting the health privacy of students." The measure passed the state Senate this month on a party-line vote and is now before the state House. Both chambers are controlled by Democrats. A separate House proposal would similarly remove I-2081's mandate that parents receive advance notice of medical treatment. The other side: State Rep. Jim Walsh, the state GOP party chair who drafted I-2081, told Axios there's no real conflict in state law. He accused Democrats of trying to overturn the parents' bill of rights by gutting key provisions. Requiring parental notification of medical treatment is "not the same thing" as requiring parental consent, he added. Between the lines: Underlying the parental rights debate are Republicans' concerns that minors could receive gender-affirming care through school without their parents' knowledge. State Rep. Travis Couture (R-Allyn) posted on X that "the definition of 'mental health care' has radically changed" in recent decades. That makes Washington's law allowing minors to seek mental health care without parental consent more problematic today than it was 40 years ago, he argued. "What once meant talk therapy and substance abuse counseling has now expanded to include gender-affirming medical treatments, psychiatric medications, and reproductive services — all without parental involvement," Couture wrote. What's next: Both chambers of the Legislature would need to approve any changes to I-2081 before they could become law. The legislative session is scheduled to run through April 27.
