Ohio Republicans update Parents’ Bill of Rights; take no further action…for now.

In under three minutes, Ohio’s “Parents’ Bill of Rights” (HB 8) was updated in the state Senate on Wednesday, but no formal vote was taken to move the bill forward.

HB 8 would force all teachers and school staff – including school counselors, therapists, social workers and psychologists – to out LGBTQ+ students who confide in them to the students’ parents. 

The bill also requires parent or guardian notification with regards to any LGBTQ+ representation present in the K-12 curriculum. 

Editor’s Commentary: Ohio’s ‘Parents’ Bill of Rights’ will irreparably destroy – yes, destroy! – education.

HB 8 was passed by the Ohio House in June 2023. Wednesday’s hearing was the bill’s fourth hearing in the Senate Education Committee.

The changes passed on Wednesday include:

• A requirement that provides “parents the opportunity to review any instructional material that includes sexuality content.” Previously, the language only required that parents be notified. 
• Previously, the language required that parents be notified of any “change in the student’s services,” the phrase that proponents of the bill have acknowledged means outing LGBTQ+ youth to their parents. Now the language reads “substantial change in the student’s services.” The subjective word “substantial” was not defined in the amended bill. 
• The addition of a new section allowing “incidental references to sexual concepts or gender ideology occurring outside of formal instruction or presentations on such topics, including references made during class participation and in schoolwork.” 

The committee voted 5-2 along party lines to update the bill, with Democrats Catherine Ingram and Vernon Sykes voting against the changes. 

Chair Andrew Brenner said the changes were inspired by a lawsuit against Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill. 

“They went to arbitration and came up with an agreement between the parties,” Brenner said. “A lot of the stuff in this [amended] bill is what was in that agreement.” 

Brenner then acknowledged that there still was not universal support for the bill, even with the amendments. 

“I think this is going to be something you still won’t support, but is better than what we had before,” he said. 

If the bill is voted out of the Senate Education Committee, HB 8 will move to the full Senate for consideration and, if successful there, on to Gov. Mike DeWine’s desk for approval. 🔥

IGNITE ACTION

• To see a full list of Ohio’s LGBTQ+-related bills, click here.
• To register to vote or to check your voter eligibility status in the state of Ohio, click here.
• To find contact information for your Ohio state representative, click here.
• To find contact information for your Ohio senator, click here.