AB 963

This bill establishes a legal standard for state infringement on fundamental

rights of parents and guardians, explicitly establishes a number of parental and

guardian rights relating to a child's religion, medical care and records, and

education, and creates a cause of action for the violation of these rights.

The bill prohibits the state from infringing on the fundamental right of parents

to direct the upbringing, education, health care, and mental health of their children

without demonstrating that the infringement is required by a compelling

governmental interest of the highest order as applied to the child, is narrowly

tailored, and is not otherwise served by a less restrictive means.

The bill reserves all of the following rights to the parent of a child without

interference from the state or other government entity:

1. The right to determine the religion of the child.

2. The right to determine the type of school or educational setting the child

attends.

3. The right to determine medical care for the child, unless specified otherwise

in law or court order.

4. The right to review all medical records related to the child, unless specified

otherwise in law or court order.

5. The right to determine the names and pronouns used for the child while at

school.

6. The right to review instructional materials and outlines used by the child's

school.

7. The right to access any education-related information regarding the child.

8. The right to advanced notice of any polls or surveys instituted by the child's

classroom.

9. The right to request notice of when certain subjects will be taught or

discussed in the child's classroom.

10. The right to opt out of a class or instructional materials for reasons based

on either religion or personal conviction.

11. The right to visit the child at school during school hours, consistent with

school policy, unless otherwise specified in law or court order.

12.

The right to engage with locally elected school board members of the school

district in which the child is a student, including participating at regularly scheduled

school board meetings.

13. The right to be notified of the creation of or updates to a security or

surveillance system at the child's school.

14. The right to be informed of any disciplinary action taken against or

threatened against the child.

15. The right to be timely informed of any acts of violence or crimes occurring