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RALEIGH, N.C. (WGHP) — House Bill 755, better known as the “Parents’ Bill of Rights” passed through the North Carolina Senate on Wednesday.

“Schools shouldn’t be withholding information from parents about their child’s well-being. This bill establishes transparency as the new norm in education,” said Senate Education Committee Chairwoman Sen. Deanna Ballard.

Features of the bill include:

  • Allowing for parents to request materials related to in-class instruction
  • Notifying parents of health services offered at their child’s school at the beginning of each school year
  • Notifying parents of changes in the name or pronoun used by their child at school
  • Notifying parents of any changes in services or monitoring of their child’s mental, emotional or physical health
  • Prohibiting instruction on sexual orientation or gender identity as part of the curriculum until fourth grade
  • Informing parents of their legal rights and responsibilities relating to their child’s education

Critics of the bill have compared it to the controversial Florida House Bill 1557, better known as the “Don’t Say Gay Bill.”

Sen. Jay Chaudhuri criticized the bill as “sending a signal outside North Carolina that our state is not a welcoming place.”

“Everyone agrees, parents should be involved in the education of our children,” Sen. Michael Garrett said in a statement he provided in response to questions from WGHP. “Our bill, S860, outlines, after thoughtful conversations with parents, North Carolina’s homegrown Parents’ Bill of Rights.

The bill will now go through the North Carolina House of Representatives.