Rep. Jamie Allard, R-Eagle River, exchanges words with Rep. CJ McCormick, D- Bethel, before Wednesday’s House floor session. The two legislators were on opposite sides of a 4-3 House Education Committee vote earlier during the morning to advance a bill restricting references to sex and gender in public schools, with Allard supporting the bill and McCormick opposing. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Rep. Jamie Allard, R-Eagle River, exchanges words with Rep. CJ McCormick, D- Bethel, before Wednesday’s House floor session. The two legislators were on opposite sides of a 4-3 House Education Committee vote earlier during the morning to advance a bill restricting references to sex and gender in public schools, with Allard supporting the bill and McCormick opposing. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

‘Parental rights’ bill expanded to require parents’ OK for entire curriculum

Legislation restricting sex and gender references in schools advances out of first committee.

This story has been updated to note the bill will next be heard by the House Judiciary Committee on Monday.

The most controversial bill of this year’s legislative session, which includes requiring parental permission for their children to participate in sex education classes, was expanded to require such permission for the entire curriculum before it advanced out of its first committee Wednesday by a 4-3 vote.

Lawmakers did tone down one contentious provision of the bill that originally required students to use the bathrooms and locker rooms of their birth gender, instead requiring single-occupant facilities “or other safety and privacy protocols.” The bill also requires educators to notify parents of any change in a student’s mental/physical health or desire to be addressed by a different name/gender, but exceptions are allowed for nicknames provided by parents for situations that put the student at risk of harm.

The biggest change made to House Bill 105 by the House Education Committee on Wednesday requires parents to get at least two weeks’ advance notice of “any activity, class, or program,” and requires written permission of the parent for a child to participate. It also allows parents to withdraw their children from “from an activity, class, program, or standards-based assessment or test required by the state for a religious holiday, as defined by the parent.”

The bill sponsored by Gov. Mike Dunleavy saw several hundred residents offer spoken testimony during two public meetings that lasted 11 hours, more than 80% voicing opposition. More than a thousand pages of written testimony were also submitted, also mostly opposing the bill. Most of the opposition focused on LGBTQ+ issues such as educators being forced to “out” students to parents.

The change to expand the bill to cover all curriculum was introduced by Rep. Justin Ruffridge, a Soldotna Republican who co-chairs the education committee. He said it was based on public comments expressing the concern the bill was too focused on sex and gender issues, and “I think it’s a good way to open the communication and dialogue between parents and schools.”

Ruffridge said he doesn’t expect a large number of parental objections where teachers are forced to offer individualized lesson plans to a significant percentage of students. But he acknowledged it may result in objections to subjects some parents consider controversial such as evolution.

“I think that’s a question that parents have been having for a long time,” he said. “I think this gives parents an opportunity to know when it’s being taught, what grade it’s being taught in, to have a conversation at home and maybe to opt out. But at least it leaves it to the parent.”

Rep. Rebecca Himschoot, a Sitka independent, said just before the committee voted on the bill that it should be possible to work with a handful of parents who feel they don’t have proper communication with their school and a few teachers who’ve had communications issues “without passing a mandate that feels threatening to some of the most vulnerable Alaskans.”

“I think that this bill is using a butcher knife where scalpel would do,” she said. “I think that what this bill does is it takes our focus away from what we should be doing. We should be focusing on supporting our schools in a predictable and stable way. We should be improving reading outcomes. We should be recruiting and retaining the best teachers we can.”

Also approved at the last minute was an amendment stating an unspecified amount of funding will be provided to schools to fulfil requirements of “parental involvement initiatives,” which was introduced by Himschoot, who expressed concerns about already cash-strapped districts being force to take on additional unfunded costs. She said a preliminary unofficial estimate of the cost is about $6 million a year.

“Anytime we add a mandate to schools I think we also have an obligation to help them meet the provisions of the mandate with some additional funding,” she said.

The amendment passed by a 4-3 vote with Rep. Mike Prax , a North Pole Republican, voting with three minority members.

The bill is next scheduled to be heard by the House Judiciary Committee at 1 p.m. Monday. But it appears the proposal has little change of becoming law since leaders with the bipartisan Senate majority say there isn’t enough support in that chamber to pass the bill.

• Contact reporter Mark Sabbatini at mark.sabbatini@juneauempire.com

More in News

The Norwegian Bliss arrives in Juneau on Monday, April 14, 2025. (Jasz Garrett / Juneau Empire file photo)
Ships in port for the week of April 27

This information comes from the Cruise Line Agencies of Alaska’s 2024 schedule.… Continue reading

(Michael Penn / Juneau Empire file photo)
Police calls for Friday, April 25, 2025

This report contains public information from law enforcement and public safety agencies.

(Michael Penn / Juneau Empire file photo)
Police calls for Thursday, April 24, 2025

This report contains public information from law enforcement and public safety agencies.

State Sen. Löki Tobin (D-Anchorage) reviews an amendment on an education bill with other senators during a break in floor debate Monday at the Alaska State Capitol. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Update: Effort to rush compromise education bill through Legislature hits snag due to ‘drafting error’

Bill returned to Senate, which passed it 19-1, to fix error in amendment; House vote expected by Wednesday

Electronic cigarette products are advertised on April 24, 2025, in the windows of a smoke shop in downtown Juneau. Alaska has no state tax on e-cigarette products, but bills pending in the Legislature seek to change that. (Photo by Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon)
Tobacco use in Alaska continues to decline, though rates still above US averages

Smoking has steadily declined in Alaska over the past decades, evidence that… Continue reading

Juneau Assembly members and other city leaders get an overview of the proposed municipal budget for the coming fiscal year during meeting at City Hall on April 5, 2025. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire file photo)
How city leaders collect and spend money from residents, visitors getting big night of scrutiny

CBJ and school budgets, mill rate and utility fee hikes, seasonal sales tax part of Wednesday’s agenda.

High school junior Jubilee Lewis is all smiles as she and other Mt. Edgecumbe High School Yupik Dancers take the stage at the BJ McGillis Gym to teach a dance to members of high school student governments from across Alaska on Thursday. (James Poulson / Daily Sitka Sentinel)
Student government convention in Sitka petitions for $1,000 BSA hike, inflation adjustments

About 250 high schoolers seek same funding vetoed by governor, as Legislature now eyes lower amount.

A courtroom at the Juneau Courthouse. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire file photo)
Juneau man in prison on federal weapons charges gets 13 years on additional state charges

Clyde Pasterski, 44, was convicted by a jury last November for drug and assault offenses.

Protesters rally against the Trump administration’s deportation polices in front of the Alaska State Capitol on Feb. 5, 2025. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire file photo)
‘Just give us a chance’: One Juneau refugee family puts faith in God, another flees as departure orders arrive

Both families arrived legally; validity of demands by Trump administration to depart being challenged

Most Read