Text of US HB 736 (2024)

I 118TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION H. R. 736 To require elementary and middle schools that receive Federal funds to obtain parental consent before changing a minor child’s gender markers, pronouns, or preferred name on any school form or allowing a child to change the child’s sex-based accommodations, including locker rooms or bathrooms. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES FEBRUARY 1, 2023 Mr. WALBERG introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce A BILL To require elementary and middle schools that receive Fed- eral funds to obtain parental consent before changing a minor child’s gender markers, pronouns, or preferred name on any school form or allowing a child to change the child’s sex-based accommodations, including locker rooms or bathrooms. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Parental Rights Over 4 The Education and Care of Their Kids Act’’ or the ‘‘PRO- 5 TECT Kids Act’’. 6 VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:47 Mar 24, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H736.IH H736 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB 2 •HR 736 IH SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 1 Congress finds the following: 2 (1) The law in the United States has long rec- 3 ognized the importance of parental rights. A par- 4 ent’s right to oversee the care and education of their 5 child is guaranteed by the Fourteenth Amendment. 6 (2) Parents have a fundamental, constitu- 7 tionally guaranteed right to raise and educate their 8 children in the way that they choose. 9 (3) Public schools across the country are vio- 10 lating these fundamental parental and familial rights 11 by deliberately hiding information about gender 12 transitioning children from their parents. 13 (4) School staff in Montgomery County Public 14 Schools in Maryland instruct teachers to form ‘‘gen- 15 der transition plans’’ for students without the knowl- 16 edge or consent of the student’s family. 17 (5) An Iowa public school district was sued for 18 allowing children as young as 12 to create ‘‘gender 19 support plans’’ without the knowledge or consent of 20 the students’ parents. 21 (6) Fairfax County Public Schools in Virginia 22 has required all teachers to complete a training pro- 23 gram saying that parental permission is not required 24 for students who seek to be addressed by different 25 names or pronouns. 26 VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:47 Mar 24, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H736.IH H736 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB 3 •HR 736 IH (7) Regardless of their intentions, these schools 1 are sabotaging the parent-child relationship and en- 2 couraging children to keep secrets from the adults 3 who are charged with protecting and defending 4 them—their parents. 5 (8) Children do best when their parents are ac- 6 tively involved in their education. School districts, 7 activist organizations, and teachers unions must 8 never be allowed to intrude on parental rights by 9 concealing critical information from parents about 10 their children. 11 SEC. 3. REQUIREMENT RELATED TO GENDER MARKERS, 12 PRONOUNS, AND PREFERRED NAMES ON 13 SCHOOL FORMS. 14 As a condition of receiving Federal funds, any ele- 15 mentary school (as such term is defined in section 8101 16 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 17 (20 U.S.C. 7801)) or school that consists of only middle 18 grades (as such term is defined in such section), that re- 19 ceives Federal funds shall be required to obtain parental 20 consent before— 21 (1) changing a minor child’s gender markers, 22 pronouns, or preferred name on any school form; or 23 VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:47 Mar 24, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H736.IH H736 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB 4 •HR 736 IH (2) allowing a child to change the child’s sex- 1 based accommodations, including locker rooms or 2 bathrooms. 3 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:47 Mar 24, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\H736.IH H736 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB