Text of WA SB 6026 (2024)

AN ACT Relating to protecting the rights of parents and guardians 1 by using students' given names in public schools; adding a new 2 section to chapter 28A.320 RCW; and creating a new section. 3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON: 4 NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. A new section is added to chapter 28A.320 5 RCW to read as follows: 6 (1) In order to protect the rights of children, families, and 7 teachers, and maintain order in K-12 public schools, the legislature 8 enacts the following provisions notwithstanding the model policies 9 and procedures required under RCW 28A.642.080: 10 (a) An employee or contractor may not use a name to address a 11 student other than the name listed on a student's birth certificate, 12 or derivatives thereof, without the written permission of a student's 13 parents or guardians. 14 (b) An employee or contractor may not use a pronoun in addressing 15 a student that is different from that student's biological sex 16 without the written permission of a student's parents or guardians. 17 (c) An employee or contractor operating in this state, when 18 acting in the course of his or her official duties, shall not carry 19 out any act or communication that would violate (a) or (b) of this 20 subsection. 21 S-3603.2 SENATE BILL 6026 State of Washington 68th Legislature 2024 Regular Session By Senators Padden and McCune Prefiled 01/05/24. p. 1 SB 6026 (d) A public school or school district may not require an 1 employee or contractor to use a pronoun that does not match a 2 person's biological sex if contrary to the employee's or contractor's 3 religious or moral convictions. 4 (2) Nothing in this section prohibits an employee or contractor 5 from discussing any matters of public concern outside the context of 6 their official duties. 7 (3) Any aggrieved individual under this section may seek relief 8 through the office for civil rights at the United States department 9 of education, or bring a private right of action against any public 10 school or school district engaged in such prohibited discrimination, 11 or both. 12 (4) For the purposes of this section: 13 (a) "Contractor" means any individual working in any capacity for 14 any public school or school district through a contract between any 15 such public school or school district and that individual or that 16 individual's employer. 17 (b) "Employee" means any individual working in any capacity, 18 whether performance of such work is voluntary or paid, at any public 19 school or school district including but not limited to teachers, 20 administrators, janitors, cafeteria workers, or other individuals. 21 (c) "Parent" or "guardian" means a resident of this state who is 22 the parent, stepparent, adoptive parent, foster parent, or otherwise 23 the legal guardian of a qualified student. 24 (d) "Public school" has the same meaning as in RCW 28A.150.010. 25 (e) "Sex" means biological sex, as listed on an individual's 26 original birth certificate. 27 (f) "Student" means an individual under the age of 18 and has not 28 been emancipated under chapter 13.64 RCW. 29 NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. This act may be known and cited as the 30 given name act. 31 NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. If any provision of this act or its 32 application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the 33 remainder of the act or the application of the provision to other 34 persons or circumstances is not affected. 35 --- END --- p. 2 SB 6026