Action Alert: Senate Hearing Parental Rights Bills
On Thursday, January 18, a Senate Education and Health subcommittee on public education will hear several bills that expand educational freedom opportunities for families, ensure parents are informed if their child is experimenting in gender confusion while at school, and protect the safety and privacy of young female athletes.
Here’s a list of key bills that will be heard which we are asking you to urge your senators on this committee to SUPPORT:
Parental Notification and Girls Sports
SB 37 (R-McGuire) “Sage’s Law” will 1) Require schools to inform parents if their child is identifying as another gender at school, 2) Prohibit school counselors from encouraging children to hide gender-related information from parents, and 3) Clarify that parents will not be deemed “abusive” simply for affirming their child’s biological sex. To learn more about Sage’s Law, read her full story here: Virginia Teen Sex-Trafficked Twice After School Hides Gender Identity From Her Parents.
SB 68 (R-Peake) requires all K-12 school sports teams, and any private schools who would play them, to be designated based on biological sex and only allows females to play on female teams.
Education Freedom Bills
SB 533 (R-Jordan) and establishes the “Education Excellence for All Program,” which permits the parents of qualified students at or below 300% of the federal poverty level to apply for a renewable Education Excellence for All Savings Account. The bill allows parents to use the money for qualified expenses, including tuition, deposits, fees, and required textbooks at a private elementary school or secondary school that is located in the Commonwealth. SB 558 (R-DeSteph) would also establish education savings accounts for any student who resides in the Commonwealth.
SB 380 (R-Sturtevant) requires each school board to create a process allowing a qualified student to access funding set aside for alternative educational opportunities as a means to earn class credit or satisfy a graduation requirement.
SB 421 (R-Sturtevant) establishes the Foster Child Scholarship Program that would provide school-age children in foster care who reside in Virginia the option to attend the participating public or private school of their caregiver's choice.
Please call and/or email the Senators on the Education and Health Committee listed below to urge them to SUPPORT SB 37, SB 68, SB 533, SB 380, SB 421 and SB 558
Sen. Ghazala F. Hashmi (D- SD 15), (804) 698-7515, senatorhashmi@senate.virginia.gov
Sen. Louise Lucas (D- SD 18), (804) 698-7518, senatorlucas@senate.virignia.gov
Sen. Mamie E. Locke (D- SD 23), (804) 698-7523, senatorlocke@senate.virginia.gov
Sen. David R. Suetterlein (R- SD 4), (804) 698-7504, senatorsuetterlein@senate.virginia.gov
Sen. Mark J. Peake (R- SN 8), (804) 698-7508, senatorpeake@senate.virginia.gov
Sen. Todd E. Pillion (R- SD 6), (804) 698- 7506, senatorpillion@senate.virginia.gov
Sen. Barbara A. Favola (D- SD 40), (804) 698-7540, senatorfavola@senate.virginia.gov
Sen. Jennifer B. Boysko (D- SD 38), (804) 698- 7538, senatorboysko@senate.virginia.gov
Sen. Lamont Bagby (D- SD 14), (804) 698- 7514, senatorbagby@senate.virginia.gov
Sen. Christopher T. Head (R- SD 3), (804) 698- 7503, senatorhead@senate.virginia.gov
Sen. Lashrecse D. Aird (D- SD 13), (804) 698-7513, senatoraird@senate.virginia.gov
Sen. Schuyler T. VanValkenburg (D- SD 16), (804) 698-7516, senatorvanvalkenburg@senate.virginia.gov
Sen. Tara A. Durant (R- SD 27), (804) 698- 7527, senatordurant@senate.virginia.gov
Sen. Stella Pekarsky (D- SD 36), (804) 698- 7536, senatorpekarsky@senate.virginia.gov
Sen. Christie New Craig (R- SD 19), (804) 698-7519, senatorcraig@virginia.gov
(Our action email system is currently down. Above are all of the senators on the committee who you can call and/or email your SUPPORT for these bills.)
