Senate adopts substitute on parental‑rights measure; committee sends bill to rules

A proposed substitute to Senate Bill 5181 was adopted in executive session and the committee issued a due‑pass recommendation to the Rules Committee, the transcript shows.

The staff briefing said the substitute (A) adds that parents and legal guardians may both review and inspect their child’s education records and requires schools to provide a copy within a reasonable period of time, and in no case later than 45 days after a request in accordance with FERPA and state law. The substitute specifies parents need not appear in person to request records if the school can verify the requester’s identity, and it shortens notification timing for criminal actions or law enforcement questioning involving a child from a maximum of 72 hours to “at the first opportunity, but in all cases, within 48 hours.”

The substitute removes a specified 72‑hour notification requirement for when a child is removed from school grounds, adds language about protected classes, clarifies how fees and calendars should be disclosed, enumerates additional parental rights (cross‑referencing existing statutes), and includes an emergency clause making the enactment effective immediately if signed.

In executive session the committee adopted the proposed substitute by voice vote and then moved that the substitute receive a due‑pass recommendation and be sent to the Rules Committee. The transcript records voice votes and some senators saying “nay” on the record; no roll‑call tally was provided in the hearing excerpt. The staff fiscal note estimated no fiscal impact.

The substitute clarifies multiple procedural elements in parent‑school interactions and includes a provision that the statute “does not create a private right of action,” meaning the measure itself is not a standalone basis for civil litigation, staff told the committee.