SB1002

THE CONTEXT: A person enrolling a pupil for the first time in a particular school district or private school must provide a certified copy of the pupil's birth certificate or other reliable proof of the pupil's identity and age. The submitted documentation must be photocopied and placed in the pupil's school file.

WHAT THE BILL DID: The final vetoed version would prohibit public school employees without written parental permission to knowingly address, identify or refer to an underage student by: a) a pronoun that differs from the one that aligns with the student's biological sex; or b) a first or middle name other than the ones listed on the student's official school records, authorize employees to address, identify or refer to a student by a nickname commonly associated with the student's name of record, and stipulate that if contrary to their religious or moral convictions, employees may not be required to address, identify or refer to a person by a pronoun that differs from the one that aligns with the person's biological sex.

WHY IT MATTERED: The practical reason for this bill was to set a clear legal boundary for pronouns instead of leaving the conduct unaddressed. It would prohibit public school employees without written parental permission to knowingly address, identify or refer to an underage student by: a) a pronoun that differs from the one that aligns with the student's biological sex; or b) a first or middle name other than the ones listed on the student's official school records, and would also authorize employees to address, identify or refer to a student by a nickname commonly associated with the student's name of record, rather than leave the current rule unchanged.