COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio advocates are warning against a bill that would require schools to notify parents if the child identifies as LGBTQ+ as well as allow parents to opt out of so-called "sexuality" content. The GOP denies it is homophobic, saying it's just a way for parents to stay informed.
During the last expected week of the lame duck session, legislators are trying to pass everything they can. Legislation that has been up for debate is House Bill 8.
State Reps. D.J. Swearingen (R-Huron) and Sara Carruthers (R-Hamilton) introduced the bill that would require schools and teachers to notify parents about any changes to their child's mental, physical, or emotional being — including if they identify as LGBTQ+. Dara Atkinson with TransOhio explained that this could lead to a "forced outing" of students.
"If people are out and they don't have supportive parents — there is an epidemic of LGBTQ youth homelessness," Atkinson said. "[There are] parents who don't affirm their children and then decide that they would like them to not be their children."
The legislation also mandates notification about so-called "sexuality" content.
"For students that have queer families, it is then not OK in early childhood curriculum to discuss queer families as part of the community," they said.
But Carruthers denied that her bill is homophobic, saying in a floor speech that it would simply keep parents informed about their kids.
"There is no hidden agenda here," Carruthers said. "Enacting the parents' bill of rights has to do with bringing the parents back into the schools and letting them know that they still have a voice in their child's education."
She added that the bill is not "anti-LGBTQ" and that "nothing can be done these days without offending others."
There is already a policy around sexual conduct in schools, and parents are allowed by law to see the curriculum. But Carruthers said this requires schools to be proactive, and it would protect parents' rights.
"All this bill asked for is age-appropriate education and to promote parental involvement in public school systems," she added.
The bill passed primarily along party lines in the House back in 2023. Only state Rep. Jamie Callender (R-Concord) joined the Democrats to vote against it.
But the bill does face some challenges when it comes back to the House for a concurrence vote.
The Senate has added an amendment, one that requires public schools to allow kids to leave class to go to religious instruction.
RELATED | Public school religious instruction release bill gets support, opposition in Ohio Senate committee
House Speaker Jason Stephens isn’t a fan of the new version of the bill, but he can't "speculate" on if he will or won't concur on it.
I asked him to explain his opposition and his request for a "clean bill."
"I think you say more by saying less... Adding on a lot of other things, there may be unintended consequences or there may be things in in a bill like that may have not have been thoroughly vetted or discussed," Stephens responded.
H.B. 8's message could get bungled by the unrelated provisions, he added.
"We could have easily loaded it up with a lot of different things on our side, but we wanted to make a clear, clean statement with that legislation — that parents have the right to know what's going on in the schools with their children," he said.
After session that day, I challenged Stephens on this statement, considering he has concurred on other bills that were combined at the last minute.
"We passed a lot of Senate bills that we were able to put in a lot of house bills that we have voted for before," he responded. "We're trying to get good policy done."
I asked specifically about H.B. 8 and his not liking the amendment.
"There [are] things I'm sure that we voted for today that the Senate may not like — an amendment on there or something that we put on," Stephens said. "That's just part of the legislative process."
Atkinson is hoping it doesn't make its way through.
"It's gonna hurt a lot of kids and it's gonna make schools less safe and a lot scarier for LGBTQ youth," Atkinson said.
Gov. Mike DeWine has said he will sign it if it gets to his desk as long as several changes to the bill are made. He is supportive of the addition of the religious release bill, as he likes a "statewide" policy.
Senate Education Chair Andrew Brenner (R-Delaware) said the bill will be a priority next General Assembly if it doesn't pass before lame duck ends.
