California law beginning Jan. 1, 2025, bans schools from notifying parents of kid’s pronoun change

LOS ANGELES - California is the first in the nation to ban schools from disclosing a student's sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression without consent.

AB 1955, also known as the Support Academic Futures and Educators for Today's Youth Act (SAFETY Act), was signed into law by Gov. Gavin Newsom on July 15, and takes effect on Jan. 1, 2025.

The bill was first proposed by Assemblymember Chris Ward (D -San Diego) and is the first bill in the U.S. to prohibit forced outings in schools.

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• California bans school rules requiring parents be notified of child’s pronoun change
• California transgender notification bill to head to Gov. Newsom's desk amid battle over parental, trans rights

Here is what the SAFETY Act does:

• Prohibits school districts from enacting forced outing policies.
• Provides resources for parents and students to manage conversations about gender and identity privately.
• Protects teachers and school staff from retaliation if they refuse to forcibly out a student.

"Politically motivated attacks on the rights, safety, and dignity of transgender, nonbinary, and other LGBTQ+ youth are on the rise nationwide, including in California," said Assemblymember Ward. "While some school districts have adopted policies to forcibly out students, the SAFETY Act ensures that discussions about gender identity remain a private matter within the family. As a parent, I urge all parents to talk to their children, listen to them, and love them unconditionally for who they are."

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Since 2023, over a dozen school districts have proposed or implemented policies requiring teachers to inform parents if their child identifies as transgender or requests to be identified by a different name or pronouns at school, according to Ward's office.

The signing of the bill sparked backlash, adding to a nationwide debate over local school districts and the rights of parents and LGBTQ+ students.

Parents and the Chino Valley Unified School District filed a lawsuit against Newsom, claiming the law violates the rights of parents protected under the U.S. Constitution.

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Attorney General Rob Bonta sued Chino Valley Unified over a rule its board approved last year requiring school staff to notify parents if their children change their gender identification or pronouns. Bonta said the law discriminated against gender non-conforming students. A judge halted the policy while the case plays out, and the district later updated the rule to broadly require parents to be notified if their child asks to make any changes to their student records.

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In 2023, Newsom threatened to fine another Southern California district, Temecula Valley Unified, for rejecting an elementary school social studies curriculum that included supplementary material mentioning politician and gay rights advocate Harvey Milk. The district later reversed course.

Proponents of the ban say it will help protect transgender and gender-nonconforming students who live in unwelcoming households, while opponents said the law makes it harder for schools to be transparent with parents.