Parents' Bill of Rights could see Governor's desk by end of year, with several other provisions

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- An Ohio bill known as the Parents' Bill of Rights, will likely move forward in the Ohio Senate next week, but possibly with several other policies also attached.  

What is the Parents’ Bill of Rights?

The Parents’ Bill of Rights, or House Bill 8, is sponsored by Representatives DJ Swearingen (R-Huron) and Sara Carruthers (R-Hamilton).

Swearingen said they introduced the bill with one main goal in mind.  

“I see the bill as empowering parents to raise their kids, to be a part of their kids’ lives,” he said.  

The bill would allow parents to opt their students out of “sexuality content,” would require that parents are notified about changes in their child’s mental, emotional or physical health, and prohibits school personnel from encouraging a student to withhold information from a parent, unless it would result in abuse, abandonment or neglect.  

“It is going to put educators in a really difficult position and also, I think raises some potential danger for students,” President of the Ohio Education Association Scott DiMauro said.

DiMauro said he worries House Bill 8 might result in “forced outing” for students who are part of the LGBTQ+ community. He said he is not convinced that the parameters in the bill create enough safeguards.  

“I think the question is ‘Who decides?’ There are definitely going to be judgment calls when it comes to determining whether or not a student really is facing some kind of potential harm,” he said.

“In the bill specifically, it says that teachers are still mandatory reporters under existing abuse law and that if something is evident in the home, that they're being abused, that is something they have to report,” Swearingen said.  

Swearingen called disagreements between himself and opponents of the bill “philosophical differences.” He said research points to parental involvement being important in a child’s upbringing.  

“We've struck a really good balance of empowering parents to raise their kids and be a part of their kids’ lives in school, requiring that schools provide information to parents that's critical in raising their kids,” he said.  

“We believe strongly that it is important for parents and educators to work in partnership with each other to make sure that every student has what they need to succeed in our schools,” DiMauro said. “What House Bill 8 does is, I believe, it is intended to drive wedges of distrust between families and our schools.”  

Chair of the Ohio Senate Education Committee Sen. Andrew Brenner (R-Delaware) said they have been working on the bill behind the scenes with Gov. Mike DeWine's office and the sponsors to make sure it is airtight.  

“And that it will meet not only state law, federal law, but also make sure that student privacy is also protected,” Brenner said.  

How might the bill change before the end of the year?

Brenner said it will likely get a vote from his committee as early as next week, and possibly the Senate floor in the same week. But before that, it will likely be amended, he said, with some technical changes and some to ensure student safety.  

“Parents should be informed. These kids are there by requirement of state law and (the) Constitution and parents have the right to know what's going on with their kids in the classrooms,” Brenner said. “We just want to make sure that students are, in fact, protected if there is some sort of abuse or something going on in their own home.”  

But now there are plans to add more amendments to include several other policies in the bill. It may now could include a requirement that public schools have a religious release time policy,  and a bill that adds age verification requirements to watch porn in Ohio.

“It should be interesting. Not totally unexpected,” Ohio House Minority Leader Allison Russo (D-Upper Arlington) said. “There are lots of concerns that my members have about all of those bills, so I suspect we’ll be a 'No' regardless.”

On Tuesday, Ohio House Speaker Jason Stephens (R-Kitts Hill) said he wanted to see a clean Parents’ Bill of Rights.  

“I would like to see a bill that that is that is the topic of the bill, and it doesn't get loaded up with a lot of other bills that maybe are floating around,” Stephens said.  

Stephens did not say whether he would still support an amended version.    

Swearingen said he is motivated to get this bill through by the end of the year, so he is open to some amendments if things stay on track.  

“I'd like to stay as close as we can to the original intent of the bill, which is to support parents and raising their kids in schools,” he said. “So as long as we stick to that mission, that's my biggest priority.”  

If the House Bill 8 does pass the Senate next week as expected, the Ohio House will then have to concur on the Senate’s changes before it can head to the DeWine’s desk. It previously passed the Ohio House with only one Republican joining all Democrats to vote against it.