House Education Committee holds wide‑ranging hearing on safe‑and‑supportive schools bill that would revise parental and student rights and enforcement

House Bill 1296, a comprehensive bill described by staff as promoting a "safe and supportive public education system," drew one of the largest public‑testimony turnouts the House Education Committee has seen this session. The bill contains multiple components that would (1) declare a state policy prioritizing student safety, access to education and privacy; (2) modify the statutory list of parents’ rights adopted most recently by initiative; (3) limit certain disclosures to parents during criminal or child‑welfare investigations; (4) require school materials explaining student rights; (5) require school district policies addressing the needs of gender‑expansive students by Jan. 31, 2026; and (6) prohibit adverse employment actions against staff who support students’ legal rights or follow approved standards.

Ethan Moreno, committee staff, described the bill’s six component parts and the interplay of federal privacy law, state protections and existing statutory frameworks. Under the bill OSPI would be directed to adopt rules, provide technical assistance and could impose sanctions for noncompliance, including terminating all or part of state apportionment or…