Senate Judiciary Chair Matt Claman, D-Anchorage, says that even if the governor's bill restricting transgender students' rights bypasses his committee, he doesn’t think there would be 11 votes in the Senate to pass it. (via AlaskaBeacon)
Senate President Gary Stevens, R-Kodiak, is seen before the start of a session of the Alaska Senate on Monday, Feb. 27, 2023. that would restrict the rights of transgender public school students and limit access to sex-education classes, leading members of the Alaska Senate said the governor’s bill will be heard in committee but appears to lack the support necessary to become law.
Even if Claman schedules it for a hearing, there are three Democrats — including Claman — on the five-person committee. Rep. Tom McKay, R-Anchorage and a member of the committee, said on Tuesday — after the governor announced the bill but before the text was introduced — that he supports the ideas in it.
In other states, including Florida, similar measures have also been promoted using the “parents rights” label.Parents would be required to provide written permission for their students to participate in sex-ed classes. Currently, parents are required to receive written notice before those classes and may opt their children out of the class.
School districts would be unable to conceal from parents their child’s physical, mental and medical health — something that includes the student’s gender identity — unless informing the parents could “result in child abuse or neglect.” Lon Garrison, director of the school boards association, said that his organization has some concerns with the governor’s proposal. School boards represent local governing authority, and the statewide measure would eliminate local control on the issues it addresses.“How do we deal with that? How do we ensure those children are safe and protected and get the services they need?” Garrison said.
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