Requiring parental or legal guardian approval before a child participates in comprehensive sexual health education.

 S-0385.1

SENATE BILL 5137

State of Washington

69th Legislature

2025 Regular Session

By Senators McCune, Christian, Fortunato, and J. Wilson

Prefiled 01/03/25. Read first time 01/13/25. Referred to Committee on Early Learning & K-12 Education.

AN ACT Relating to requiring parental or legal guardian approval before a child participates in comprehensive sexual health education; amending RCW 28A.300.475 ; and creating a new section.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. (1) The legislature acknowledges that it has required every public school to provide comprehensive sexual health education to each student by the 2022-23 school year. The legislature further recognizes that it allows parents to excuse their children from this instruction by filing a written request with the school district.

(2) Instead of being subject to the broad discretion of school districts and the state, the legislature intends to give parents more control and choice over the sexual health education their child receives by having parents provide written approval before any planned instruction occurs.