Committee amends and advances bill expanding classroom restrictions on gender identity to pre‑K through 12

The committee approved a substitute amendment to House Bill 244 that expands the existing restriction on classroom discussions of gender identity to cover pre‑K through 12 and then gave the bill a favorable report.

Representative Butler, the sponsor, said the bill is an expansion of language passed last year and that, after discussions with the State Department of Education and the committee chair, Representative Gidley would offer a friendly amendment to address prior concerns. The amendment replaces certain lines in the bill to read that instruction about gender identity must not be presented in a manner that is not age‑appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students in accordance with state standards, and it adjusted cross‑references to make the State Board of Education responsible for rulemaking specified in the amendment.

Representative Gidley offered the amendment; Representative DuBose seconded it. Representative Estes asked whether deleting a portion of the bill would “gut” half of it; the sponsor replied that the removal deleted a pronoun provision and did not change the main intent: expanding the existing prohibition to pre‑K through 12 and prohibiting classroom discussions of gender identity or sexual orientation (as stated in the bill language). The amendment was adopted by voice vote.

Representative Woods moved to give the bill a favorable report; Representative Estes seconded. The committee approved the motion by voice vote. Committee members noted the amendment had been coordinated with the State Department of Education and that the sponsor expected no opposition from the department after the change.