Critics of the legislation contend it’s designed to undermine Initiative 2081, the parents’ bill of rights passed by the Washington State Legislature last year

Carleen Johnson
The Center Square Washington

The brief introductory summary of House Bill 1296 describes it as “Promoting a safe and supportive public education system.” Critics of the legislation contend it’s designed to undermine Initiative 2081, the parents’ bill of rights passed by the Washington State Legislature last year.

According to the text of HB 1296, it aims to promote a safe and supportive school system by addressing student rights, parental/guardian rights, employee protections, and requirements for state and local school districts.

I-2081 grants parents of public school students the right to review classroom materials, including textbooks and curriculum, and easily access their child’s academic and medical records.

HB 1296 had a public hearing on Thursday before the House Education Committee.

“Are these rights being repealed, the same rights that just passed the Legislature last year after an initiative by the people?” asked committee member Rep. Matt Marshall, R-McKenna, during the hearing. 

“Yes, the bill does remove rights that were established in the legislation and enacted through the legislature last year,” a staff member replied.

Thousands of people registered on either side of HB 1296, and dozens signed up to testify. Committee chair, Rep. Sharon Tomiko-Santos, D-Seattle, put the hearing last on the agenda. Barely 25 minutes remained in the allotted session by the time HB 1296 was up for public comment.

Albert Johnson, a senior at the Community School in Spokane, urged committee members to support the bill. 

“I came out to my friends and advisors at school, a year before I came out to my parents,” Johnson said. “I wanted to take time to explore myself and my identity, an experience every trans person deserves to have.”

Johnson said trans youth are at greater risk of suicide and self-harm.

“School is a good place to try different names and different pronouns and see how they feel before coming out to your family,” Johnson explained.

Dawn Land testified against HB 1296.

“Much of 1296 is contrary to federal regulations as of Jan. 20, 2025,” said Land, a reference to executive orders issued by President Donald Trump, whose second nonconsecutive term started that day.

Land cautioned lawmakers that passing the bill jeopardizes critical funding for schools.

Sarah Garriott with Pierce County Moms for Liberty also testified in opposition to HB 1296. 

“Thousands of Washington voters spent hundreds of hours to pass this law,” she said. “Changing this now just one year after it passed is not only offensive and insensitive, it is taking a sledgehammer to democracy. Spitting in the faces of people is what it feels like.”

Committee member Rep. Travis Couture, R-Allyn, expressed frustration after the hearing.

“Parents have an absolute right to raise their children and know what’s happening in their schools, and it’s discouraging to see that in the midst of trying to kill off the democratic process and erase the wishes of voters in our state – that they would conduct a hearing in the same way,” he explained.

Couture spoke on behalf of members of the public who didn’t get an opportunity to testify.

“There is no reason whatsoever that a school should be able to hide critical information, whether it be health or otherwise, from me,” he said. “That is akin to stranger danger and another adult should never be able to tell my kids to keep secrets from me, their loving parent. This is going to cause a massive distrust in our Legislature and a further distrust in our schools.”

HB 1296 is scheduled for executive session before the committee on Jan. 30.