Bill
LD 1881
Gives parents the right to opt their minor child out of specific assignments and activities and to request alternative work, with local schools processing the requests.
Status: Placed in Legislative Files (DEAD)
Introduced: May 1, 2025
Committee: Education and Cultural Affairs
Subject: Curriculum, Parental Involvement, School Policies
Purpose and intent
- The bill seeks to affirm and expand the rights of parents over certain educational choices for their minor children.
- Core idea: allow a parent to opt their child out of specific assignments and activities and to request alternative assignments and activities.
Key provisions (as indicated by fiscal notes and bill summaries)
- Parental opt-out: A parent could refuse their minor child’s participation in specified assignments and activities.
- Requests for alternatives: A parent could request alternative assignments or activities in place of those the student would otherwise undertake.
- Local implementation: The bill would require local school administrative units (SAUs) to handle such requests, with the potential implication that districts would accommodate these opt-out requests (based on the fiscal notes’ description).
- Scope of “certain assignments and activities”: The exact definitions of which assignments/activities are subject to opt-out are not detailed in the provided documents.
Who is affected
- Students: Students would be the primary participants affected through potential opt-outs or alternate assignments.
- Parents/Guardians: The bill centralizes decision-making authority for certain educational activities at the parental level.
- Teachers and School Staff: Likely responsible for implementing opt-out requests and providing alternatives.
- Local School Administrative Units (SAUs): Could experience changes in scheduling, workload, and resource allocation to process and fulfill opt-out requests.
Fiscal impact (as indicated in the fiscal notes)
- Potential current biennium cost increases for SAUs: The notes indicate that allowing opt-outs and alternative assignments could lead to higher costs if there is a significant increase in such requests beyond what SAUs currently experience.
- No specific dollar amounts are provided in the notes, but both the original and amended fiscal notes flag potential additional costs tied to processing requests and providing alternatives.
Procedural timeline and status
- May 1, 2025: Bill introduced and referred to the Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs.
- May 12, 2025: Work session; bill reported out (Divided Report; ONTP/OTP-AM in some stage).
- May 28–29, 2025: Committee reports; House vote (Roll Call No. 239) with Yeas 77, Nays 68, Absent/Excused numbers recorded; Bill sent for concurrence.
- June 2, 2025: Reports READ; Majority Ought Not to Pass Report accepted in concurrence; Roll Call No. 280 with Yeas 19, Nays 15; Bill placed in Legislative Files (DEAD).
- Overall status: The bill did not advance to enactment and is listed as Dead.
Notes
- The documents provided include two fiscal notes (LR 1227(01) and LR 1227(02)) both highlighting potential cost impacts to SAUs due to increased opt-out requests.
- As a “DEAD” measure, the bill did not become law.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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