West

California bill would ban schools from telling parents if student identifies as LGBTQ: 'Gut-and-amend'

Published

2 years ago

May 26, 2024

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.”

CALIFORNIA LAWMAKER’S MIC CUT OFF WHILE READING BILL TO END SANCTUARY STATE LAWS, SAYS DEMS ‘DON’T CARE’

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.

Bradford Betz is a Fox News Digital breaking reporter covering crime, political issues, and much more.

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Montana

Service door of Crans-Montana bar where 40 died in fire was locked from inside, owner says

Published

56 minutes ago

January 10, 2026

Press Room

Service door of Crans-Montana bar where 40 died in fire was locked from inside, owner says

The French owner of the Swiss bar where 40 people died in a fire during new year celebrations has told investigators a service door had been locked from the inside.

Jacques Moretti, co-owner of the Constellation bar in the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana, was taken into custody on Friday, as prosecutors investigated the tragedy.

Most of the 40 people who died were teenagers, and another 116 people were injured.

Moretti told the Valais public prosecutor’s office that he had found out about the locked door just after the deadly fire.

When he arrived at the scene, he forced open the door, according to excerpts from police reports published by several French and Swiss media outlets confirmed to AFP by a source close to the case.

Moretti said he had found several people lying behind the door after opening it.

Initial findings suggest the fire was caused by sparklers coming into contact with soundproofing foam installed on the ceiling of the establishment’s basement.

Questions are also being raised regarding the presence and accessibility of fire extinguishers, and whether the bar’s exits were in compliance with regulations.

No safety inspections at site of Swiss bar fire for past five years, mayor says

“We always add a sparkler candle when we serve a bottle of wine in the dining room,” said his wife and co-owner, Jessica, who was released after Friday’s hearing.

Moretti told investigators he had carried out tests and the candles were not powerful enough to ignite the acoustic foam.

He said he bought the foam in a DIY store and installed it himself during renovations carried out after buying the establishment in 2015.

Regarding the presence of numerous underage kids in the bar at the time of the tragedy, Moretti said the establishment prohibited anyone under the age of 16 and that customers aged 16 to 18 had to be accompanied by an adult.

He said he had given these “instructions” to the security staff, but acknowledged that “it is possible that there was a lapse in protocol”.

The couple is suspected of “negligent homicide, negligent bodily harm, and negligent arson”.

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Nevada

State police union official on Nevada Wild

Published

1 hour ago

January 10, 2026

Press Room

State police union official on Nevada Wild

RENO, Nev. (KOLO) – Nevada Police Union’s Vice President James Mortimore is on Nevada Wild.

“This is awesome!” the union’s Saturday, Jan. 10, Facebook post said.

All ten episodes of Nevada Wild season one are streaming on HBO Max.

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New Mexico

Actor Timothy Busfield accused of child sex abuse in New Mexico

Published

1 hour ago

January 10, 2026

Press Room

Actor Timothy Busfield accused of child sex abuse in New Mexico

Authorities in New Mexico issued an arrest warrant Friday for director and Emmy Award-winning actor Timothy Busfield to face a child sex abuse charge.

An investigator with the Albuquerque Police Department filed a criminal complaint in support of the charge, which says a child reported that Busfield touched him inappropriately. The acts allegedly occurred on the set of “The Cleaning Lady,” a TV series Busfield directed and acted in.

The child said the first incident happened when he was 7 years old and Busfield touched him three or four times. Busfield allegedly touched him five or six times on another occasion when he was 8.

The child’s mother reported to Child Protective Services that the abuse occurred between November 2022 and spring 2024, the complaint said.

Busfield’s attorney and agent did not immediately respond to email messages seeking comment late Friday.

The arrest warrant, which was signed by a judge, said the charge is for two counts of criminal sexual contact of a minor.

According to the complaint, the child, which it identifies only by his initials, has been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and anxiety. A social worker documented him saying he has had nightmares about Busfield touching him and woken up scared.

The child was reportedly afraid to tell anyone because Busfield was the director and he feared he would get mad at him.

The investigation began in November 2024, when the investigator responded to a call from a doctor at the University of New Mexico Hospital. The child’s parents had gone there at the recommendation of a law firm, the complaint said.

“The Cleaning Lady” aired for four seasons on Fox, ending in 2025. It starred Elodie Yung as a Cambodian doctor who comes to the United States to get medical treatment for her son, witnesses a mob killing and ends up becoming a cleaner for organized crime.

The show was produced by Warner Bros., which according to the complaint conducted its own investigation into the abuse allegations but was unable to corroborate them.

Busfield is known for appearances in “The West Wing,” “Field of Dreams” and “Thirtysomething,” the latter of which won him an Emmy for outstanding supporting actor in a drama series in 1991.

He is married to actor Melissa Gilbert; there was no immediate response to an email sent to her publicist.

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