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Wyoming House debates verification requirement for Homeschool Freedom Act; amendment fails
Summary
Lawmakers debated an amendment to HB 46 that would require a one-time verification form to local school boards for families who homeschool. Representative Jarvis moved the amendment arguing it was a child-safety measure; the House rejected the amendment and ordered the bill read a third time.
Representative Jarvis moved Committee of the Whole Amendment 1 to House Bill 46, the "Homeschool Freedom Act," proposing a one-time verification checkbox or assurance that would notify local school boards when a family begins homeschooling. Jarvis said the measure was aimed at child safety: "Just tell us that you're homeschooling. And an assurance, just so you know, is all it is is a checkbox that I assure that I'm doing this," and that the assurance would not require a scope and sequence or curriculum.
Supporters of the amendment said a simple notification would spare school staff unnecessary investigatory visits when a student stops appearing, making it easier to distinguish truancy from a parental decision to homeschool. Representative Larson Lloyd described the amendment as a way to prevent unnecessary investigations: "So they called the school. And the school then I think, if I'm hearing correctly, feels an obligation to send the school resource officer or whomever out to investigate … I think what the amendment is trying to do is say, we don't wanna go investigate. Have no desire to go do that. Just let us know you're homeschooling."
Opponents argued the amendment would preserve government oversight the bill seeks to remove and might not solve the problems critics cited. Representative Andrew said testimony from child-services officials showed no proven link between the existing notification process and detection of educational neglect: "… they have seen 50 allegations … educational neglect only 25 of those turned out to be legitimate and 0 of those resulted from inadequate reporting of homeschool curriculum." Representative Harrelson and others emphasized parental rights and exemptions for homeschool students under federal programs, with Harrelson saying: "Homeschool students are specifically exempt from that … it is not the role of the government to tell parents what to do with their children."
After roughly 32 minutes of debate, the House voted on the amendment; the chair announced, "The amendment has not been adopted." House Bill 46, having been read twice, was ordered read a third time.
Ending: With the amendment defeated, HB 46 will proceed toward a third reading without the verification checkbox Jarvis proposed. The bill remains the subject of further debate in later stages of the legislative process.
