A coalition of Washington parents and school board members has filed a lawsuit in Thurston County Superior Court seeking to overturn House Bill 1296, a law that rewrote the state’s parental rights policy. The plaintiffs argue the measure violates both the Washington and U.S. Constitutions by restricting parents’ ability to make decisions about their children’s education and welfare.
The lawsuit, brought by the conservative Citizen Action Defense Fund on behalf of several parents and school directors, names the state of Washington, Governor Bob Ferguson, the Legislature, the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI), and Superintendent Chris Reykdal as defendants.
Plaintiffs claim the law infringes on constitutional guarantees protecting parental authority, religious freedom, and access to educational records. They are asking the court to declare the law unconstitutional and block its enforcement.
House Bill 1296, which took effect after Ferguson signed it in May, revised Initiative 2081 — a measure lawmakers approved in 2024 that outlined specific parental rights in public schools. Critics contend the new law “gutted” the initiative by removing certain provisions, including parental access to a child’s school-based medical records and reducing advance notice requirements for non-emergency medical services. It also extended the time schools have to provide student records from 10 to 45 days.
Lead plaintiff Gabe Galbraith, a Kennewick School District Board member, emphasized that the changes prevent transparency between schools and families. “We’re being told not to share information that parents have a right to know,” he explained. “That’s not education — that’s state interference in the family.”
Supporters of the legislation argue that the revisions were necessary to protect vulnerable students. Bill sponsor Representative Monica Stonier, a Vancouver Democrat, explained that lawmakers sought to balance parental involvement with students’ rights, noting that family values must not be imposed on others.
An OSPI spokesperson said the agency is reviewing the complaint and will continue implementing the law “unless or until the law changes.” The state Attorney General’s Office also confirmed it is evaluating the filing.
