Latest news with #Initiative2081
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
WA governor signs parental ‘bill of rights' rewrite
Gov. Bob Ferguson hands over one of the pens he used to sign House Bill 1296, the 'students bill of rights' to a child who attended the bill signing. (Photo by Jacquelyn Jimenez Romero/Washington State Standard) The parental 'bill of rights' overhaul, one of the most divisive bills approved during this year's Washington state legislative session, was signed by Gov. Bob Ferguson on Tuesday. The legislation stems from Initiative 2081, a citizen initiative lawmakers approved last year that granted certain rights to the parents of public school students under age 18. It allowed parents to easily access school materials, their child's medical records, and promised immediate notification if a child is involved in a crime. Democrats said they would write a 'clean-up bill' if the initiative clashed with other state and federal laws. But Republicans said the law signed Monday goes much further and undermines the initiative, which hundreds of thousands of voters signed on in support of in 2023. The law contains an emergency clause. This will allow it to take effect immediately, and it eliminates the possibility of a referendum that would give voters a chance to weigh in on the law. Democratic lawmakers have said the emergency clause would help provide schools more clarity right away. Republicans criticize it as a ploy to block any referendum effort. Meanwhile, some opponents are already saying they will seek alternative paths to a repeal. Along with parental rights, students' rights are included, such as the right to receive an education in a safe and supportive learning environment, free of harassment and bullying. The law also makes clear that students are free to exercise constitutionally protected rights at school. Rep. Monica Stonier, D-Vancouver, the lead sponsor of House Bill 1296, said students deserve to have a diverse curriculum that reflects the true history and experiences of people, to be able to experience a school system without discrimination, and that student rights can coexist with parental rights. Ferguson echoed that view during the bill signing. 'The top priority for our schools must be to ensure a safe learning environment where every student has a chance to thrive,' he said. Parts of the earlier parents' rights initiative, such as allowing parents to review school curriculum and textbooks, and requiring school districts to 'immediately' notify parents if a student is a victim of abuse, sexual misconduct, or assault, were kept in the rewrite. A significant change from the initiative was the removal of access to medical records. Democrats have said separating educational and medical records was necessary to prevent confusion. For example, a 1985 law gives children 13 years or older the right to mental health treatment without parental consent. Republican critics of the new legislation argue that the definition of mental health care has expanded over the past 40 years to include gender-affirming care, psychiatric medications and other health services that parents should know about. New parental rights would also be added, including ones for parents to be notified of their child's unexcused absences and to engage in efforts to reduce those absences and to request information about special education programs and determine eligibility. Throughout the session, debates related to the legislation flared over gender inclusivity and diversity, equity and inclusion. Republicans introduced several unsuccessful amendments to prevent transgender girls from participating in girls' sports and entering girls' locker rooms. The law also adds ethnicity, homelessness, immigration or citizenship status, and neurodivergence as protected classes and clarifies protections for sexual orientation, gender expression and gender identity. A new complaint process is established as well. This directs the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction to investigate complaints if schools fail to comply with state laws in areas like civil rights, nondiscrimination, harassment, and the physical restraint or isolation of students. In cases where districts are found to be willfully disobeying state law, they could see 20% of their state funds withheld and redirected to resolving the issues identified by the state. This option is intended as a last resort. Even so, Republicans view it as too punitive and claim it takes away local control. Let's Go Washington, the group behind Initiative 2081, plans to mount a repeal effort against the new law, according to Hallie Balch, a spokesperson for the group. Balch did not specify whether this might involve a ballot initiative or a new initiative to the Legislature. Unlike a referendum, both of those options would be open to the group. But they would require the collection of nearly 400,000 signatures. The deadline to file initiatives, including required signatures, for the 2025 general election ballot is July 3. Initiatives to the Legislature, for next year's session, can be filed until Jan. 2, 2026.
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
04-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Voters could get final say on changes to Washington's parental ‘bill of rights'
Brian Heywood, founder of Let's Go Washington, the political committee behind the parents' 'bill of rights' measure approved by the Washington Legislature last year. He said the group filed a measure Tuesday to prevent lawmakers from changing the year-old law. (Jerry Cornfield / Washington State Standard) The conservative political group behind three failed measures on last year's Washington ballot filed an initiative Tuesday to prevent the Democrat-controlled Legislature and governor from making any changes in a year-old parental 'bill of rights' law. But the Democratic leader of the state Senate is blasting the move as 'a publicity stunt' and said what the group submitted to the secretary of state's office 'is not a real thing.' The one-page measure from Let's Go Washington would repeal Senate Bill 5181. That bill seeks to retool language in Initiative 2081, which the Legislature overwhelmingly approved 12 months ago. Let's Go Washington backed that initiative too, but lawmakers opted to pass it rather than send it to voters. Senate Bill 5181 cleared the Senate on Feb. 5 along party lines, 30-19. It awaits action in the House. That legislation is 'Democrats' cynical attempt' to strip parents of their rights and keep important medical and mental health information hidden, said Brian Heywood, founder of Let's Go Washington. Filing the initiative before the fate of the legislation is known puts lawmakers on notice that voters could get the final say, Heywood said. Senate Majority Leader Jamie Pedersen, D-Seattle, said anyone attempting to repeal a state law would need to submit a measure containing the full text of the statute and any changes clearly marked. Therefore, Pedersen said, opponents of Senate Bill 5181 are jumping the gun. 'They cannot start an initiative until they have a bill,' he said. At that point, to reach the ballot, the group would need to turn in signatures of at least 308,911 registered voters by 5 p.m. on July 3. However, they would likely not be able to begin circulating petitions until the bill is signed, which could be as late as mid-May. The secretary of state's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. In 2023, Let's Go Washington led the signature gathering for six initiatives, including Initiative 2081. Each was an initiative to the Legislature, meaning lawmakers had the option of approving it or allowing it to go on the ballot. The Legislature did approve measures concerning taxes, vehicle pursuits conducted by law enforcement officers, along with Initiative 2081. In November, voters defeated initiatives to repeal the capital gains tax, erase the Climate Commitment Act, and make the long term care program voluntary. Initiative 2081 codified rights for the parents of public school students on matters like reviewing classroom materials, obtaining medical records, and opting children out of assignments involving questions about a child's sexual experiences or their family's religious beliefs. It passed the Senate unanimously and the House on an 82-15 vote. At the time, Democrats said that they would likely need to revise the measure this session, citing confusing language that did not align with other state and federal laws. Heywood and Republicans argue the changes in Senate Bill 5181 undermine the 423,000 voters who signed initiative petitions. 'The majority party in the legislature realized parental notification is a popular hot-button issue with overwhelming support so they passed I-2081 into law with a large bipartisan majority,' Heywood said in a statement. 'It now appears, however, that they did so with a snarky wink and a nod and the intent to gut the bill during the next legislative session.' Rep. Monica Stonier, D-Vancouver, voted for the measure and is sponsoring a bill this session promoting a students' bill of rights. She said Tuesday's filing of an initiative won't influence the conversation on the Senate bill. 'They can choose any time frame they want,' she said. 'We are going to continue to stand for the parental rights that we believe are already in existence and to continue to fight to ensure students have a safe learning environment and inclusive curriculum.' She expressed confidence that if the battle reaches the ballot, voters will uphold their actions. In 2020, following the enactment of a law mandating comprehensive sex education in every district's curriculum in every grade, a group of social conservatives set out to repeal it. But the referendum effort failed, marking the first time voters in any state had upheld such a policy. 'When voters get through the noise and the lies and they understand what it's about, they tend to support students,' Stonier said. This story has been updated with comment from Senate Majority Leader Jamie Pedersen.
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.
