Parental rights ballot gets support, little pushback in Washington state legislative hearing

Public hearings on three of six voter initiatives continued Wednesday. The initiatives, which surround issues including parental rights, police pursuits, and local income taxes, are part of a group of six Republican-backed proposals that received hundreds of thousands of signatures from supportive Washington voters in 2023.

For the most part, people who spoke at the meeting on Initiative 2081, which outlines more than a dozen parents' rights for overseeing their children's schooling, didn't oppose it. Many people spoke in favor of it or were signed up as "other" on the bill.

The measure outlines more than a dozen rights for parents, many of which are already protected by state law and federal regulations, according to a legislative staff analysis. That includes the right to inspect a child's academic, medical, or health records; receive notice and the option to opt out of certain lessons or activities, like sex ed; and examine classroom materials like textbooks.

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According to the legislative staff analysis, the measure wouldn't conflict with current laws protecting kids' right to privacy or access to health services.

Most of the people who spoke at the committee meeting were neutral or supportive of the proposal. Supporters say the initiative makes clear for parents what rights they do have. People who signed in as "other" had concerns about implementing some of the vague language included in the proposal, but said they support parents being more involved in their kids' schools.

Senate Early Learning and K-12 Education Committee Chair Lisa Wellman (D-Mercer Island) worked on a document attempting to provide parents some of that clarity after the 2022 legislative session, but said the initiative could help accomplish that goal too.

"It's become clear that it's confusing to understand the full scope of parental rights that already exist because they're not easily accessible or published in one space," Wellman said.

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Wellman added that if the initiative is enacted and leaves education officials with questions, lawmakers will work to resolve those concerns.

What's next

All three of the initiatives are scheduled to be voted on in their respective committees on Friday.

If the measures are approved in committee, they will then head to the floor of each chamber, where lawmakers will ultimately decide whether or not to enact them.

The Legislature cannot change the initiatives in any way, but they could decide to instead approve an alternative for voters to consider. The alternative would be placed on voters' ballots alongside the original initiative proposal, giving voters the opportunity to choose which they want to see put into law.

Lawmakers have until March 7 to enact the proposals or send them to voters. [Copyright 2024 Northwest News Network]