Proposal to codify parental rights draws broad committee discussion over curriculum, privacy and legal standard

Senate Bill 2244, introduced to the House Education Committee by Senator Bob Paulson, would codify parental rights in state law and require that any state or local government action that "substantially burdens" a parent's right to direct the care, upbringing and education of the parent's child meet strict‑scrutiny review (a compelling state interest and narrowest means test).

Paulson framed the bill as an effort to restate and protect the parental right that the U.S. Supreme Court has long recognized — invoking foundational cases such as Meyer v. Nebraska (1923), Pierce v. Society of Sisters (1925) and Troxel v. Granville (2000) — and said the statute is modeled on protections other states have adopted. The bill text enumerates a range of parental authorities, including the right to: choose a child's educational setting (public, private, parochial or homeschooling); access and review educational and medical records kept by a…