The Ohio House of Representatives passed on Wednesday House Bill 8 (HB8). Dubbed “The Parents’ Bill of Rights,” the measure significantly strengthens parental control over their children’s education and healthcare. The bill, previously amended and passed by the State Senate, received a 57-31 vote.
The Parents’ Bill of Rights now heads to Governor Mike DeWine’s desk for approval.
HB8 is being hailed as a major victory for parental rights advocates. “The days of the ACLU and the most fringe voices on the left driving the political debate in America are over,” Center for Christian Virtue (CCV) President Aaron Baer said in a statement late Wednesday. “The age of powerful parent voices is here. This bill tells government bureaucrats across Ohio that parents are in charge of their kids’ education and healthcare decisions.”
HB8 includes several provisions designed to protect parental rights, including enhanced notification requirements for public schools regarding the teaching of sexual content. Under the legislation, schools must notify parents in advance about sexual content being taught and provide an option for parents to opt their children out of such lessons. The bill also mandates that parents be notified if their child requests a change of gender recognition at school or if a school counselor encourages a student to “socially transition” to the opposite sex without parental knowledge.
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