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California bill would ban schools from telling parents if student identifies as LGBTQ: 'Gut-and-amend'
California lawmakers are introducing a new bill that would ban school districts from notifying parents if their child identifies as LGBTQ.
The new bill will be added to Assembly Bill 1955 — introduced by Assemblymember Chris Ward, D-San Diego, earlier this year — through a process called “gut-and-amend.”
Under the amended bill, called the “Support Academic Futures and Educators for Today’s Youth,” or SAFETY ACT, school districts would be banned from, what Ward described as, “forced outing policies.”
In other words, educators could not notify parents about their students’ gender identity or sexual orientation if that were to come up at school.
Assemblymember Christopher Ward, far right, introduced a “gut-and-amend” bill to AB 1955. (Albert L. Ortega/Getty Images)
The move comes in response to multiple California school boards having voted to pass measures that require teachers to notify parents if their child identifies as transgender, changes their name or pronouns, or requests to access a restroom, changing room, or sport geared to the opposite sex.
The new bill would codify existing state protections against what has been described as “forced outings” of LGBTQ students and would provide resources for families of LGBTQ students. The measure would also protect educators from retaliation if they do not notify parents.
Opponents of the bill say it keeps parents in the dark.
“No matter how much Democrats dislike it, the fact is parents have a right to be involved in their kids’ education,” said California Assembly Republican Leader James Gallagher in a statement to Fox News Digital. “It’s unbelievable that anyone would think that teachers can keep secrets from parents, but it’s flat-out disgusting that Democrats are trying to mandate that schools keep parents in the dark.”
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In a letter to Ward, the California Policy Center called the bill “unconstitutional” and argued that it “violates parents’ established authority over their children and would constitute … a trifecta of harms.”
A view of the California state capitol building in Sacramento. (Arturo Holmes/Getty Images for National Urban League)
“Here’s the bottom line: Public schools are meant to support parents in their efforts to educate their children, not to subvert parents as this bill would codify,” wrote CPC Vice President of Education Policy and Government Affairs.
“There are so many problems with this bill that a simple opposition letter cannot cover every one of them. It’s hard for skeptics to see this gut-and-amend as anything but an effort to hide those problems from public scrutiny, let alone adequate constitutional review.”
Ward has countered that nothing in the SAFETY Act “prohibits parents from talking to their children about anything, including sexual orientation or gender identity.”
“In fact, as a parent myself, I believe parents should have an open dialogue with their children, and these conversations should be happening at home,” Ward said, adding that a student’s decision to come out is a “personal one” that should happen on their own terms.
Opponents of the bill say it will keep parents of students in the dark. (iStock)
Proponents of the measure say that while many parents are supportive of their children, many young people come from homes where they do not feel accepted.
The California Legislative LGBTQ Caucus has argued that schools can be a “critical source of support,” and pointed to studies like the Trevor Project’s 2019 National Survey on LGBTQ Youth Mental Health, which found that “affirming school environments significantly reduce the odds of transgender youth attempting suicide.”
“Parental involvement in their children’s lives is desirable and often necessary, however, a student’s gender identity is generally a matter to be discussed between the child and their parents in the time and manner chosen by the family,” the LGBTQ Caucus said in a joint statement. “No teacher, administrator, or others outside of the family should be forcing families to have conversations.”
The SAFETY Act will be heard by the Senate Education Committee next week.
If approved by the Senate, it will return to the Assembly for additional consideration before it goes to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s desk.
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On 18 March 1959, Hawaii was brought into the United States of America as the 50th state with the passing of the Hawaiian Admission act.
Five months later, on 21 August it was officially proclaimed the 50th state by President Eisenhower.
Former governor of Hawaii, John Waihe’e, tells Jen Dale his memories of statehood and why Hawaii’s history with America means it has become a divisive issue.
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(Photo: President Eisenhower signs the proclamation admitting Hawaii as the 50th state. Credit: Getty/Bettmann)
BOISE, Idaho — The Idaho State Board of Education unanimously voted Wednesday to appoint Dr. David W. Hahn as the eighth president of Boise State University, officially ending a prolonged national search for the university’s top leader.
Hahn’s appointment follows his selection as sole finalist on June 16 and the completion of the 10-business-day waiting period required under Idaho law before a final vote could be taken. His appointment is effective July 1.
He will begin transitioning into the role immediately, performing presidential duties remotely as he prepares to relocate to Idaho. Under the terms of his contract, Hahn is expected to be on campus no later than Aug. 10, ahead of the start of the fall semester.
“This vote reflects the confidence of the full Board in the process we undertook and in the leader we have selected,” Idaho State Board of Education President Kurt Liebich said. “Today’s vote is the culmination of a rigorous process, and I have every confidence that Boise State and the state of Idaho are well served by this appointment. Dr. Hahn is the right person to lead Boise State into its next chapter.”
Hahn most recently served as dean of the College of Engineering at the University of Arizona. He will succeed interim president Jeremiah Shinn, who led Boise State after former President Marlene Tromp departed in 2025 to take the presidency at the University of Vermont.
The search for Boise State’s next president has been closely watched across Idaho and within higher education circles, stretching more than a year and drawing attention for its shifting timeline and changes in state law governing how public university presidents are selected.
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Initially launched as a national search, the process was paused in 2025 as the Idaho State Board of Education reviewed search procedures and lawmakers debated revisions to Idaho’s presidential search law. During that period, no finalists were publicly announced, and the university continued operating under interim leadership.
The Idaho Legislature later approved changes to the process that significantly limited public disclosure of candidates, requiring only a single finalist to be named before a final appointment vote. Supporters of the change said it would help attract stronger candidates by protecting confidentiality during recruitment. Critics argued it reduced transparency for leadership decisions at Idaho’s public universities.
Following the adoption of the new rules, the search resumed in 2026. According to the State Board, dozens of candidates applied for the position, and semifinal interviews were conducted before Hahn emerged as the final selection.
Boise State has continued to navigate major institutional priorities during the leadership transition, including its move into the Pac-12 conference, ongoing research expansion, and campus development projects.
With Wednesday’s vote, the State Board said the search process has concluded and leadership stability has been restored at one of Idaho’s largest public universities.
Hahn will now assume responsibility for guiding Boise State into its next academic and athletic chapter, overseeing academic programs, university operations, fundraising, and strategic planning as he prepares to formally take the helm on campus in August.
This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been, in part, converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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MISSOULA, Mont. — Amid recent flooding and ahead of wildfire season, Montana State Auditor James Brown is urging homeowners to make sure their homes are properly insured.
Brown said flooding is the leading cause of insurance peril in the nation and can happen year-round in Montana.
He said homeowners should not wait until flooding is imminent to seek coverage because there is typically a 30-day waiting period before flood insurance takes effect.
“Number one, by far the number one source of confusion related to flood insurance is the basic homeowners policy doesn’t cover flood damage, most Montanans may not know that,” said Brown.
Brown said some private flood insurance options exist, but the National Flood Insurance Program remains the main way Montanans can get covered.
He also said wildfire coverage is becoming less common in standard homeowners insurance policies and increasingly expensive.
Brown encouraged homeowners to be careful when shopping for the lowest-cost policy, because cheaper plans may offer less coverage or come with higher deductibles.
“That may not be enough to cover the loss if their house were to burn down, so one of the things we encourage as well is to talk to your agent about what the level of coverage that you have for your home to make sure that it’s fully insured so if you do have a fire or flood or some sort of peril, you’re able to replace your home,” said Brown.
Lower-cost policies may leave homeowners responsible for the first several thousand dollars in losses before insurance coverage begins.
Brown said homeowners should speak with their insurance agents to make sure their policies covers damages if a disaster occurs.
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