SB 868 - This act establishes the "Vulnerable Child Compassion and Protection Act", which prohibits any school official at a public or charter school from encouraging a student under the age of eighteen years old to adopt a gender identity or sexual relationship, as such terms are defined in the act. This prohibition shall not apply to certain course components of a school's curriculum.

The act also establishes provisions prohibiting school officials from withholding information regarding a student's gender identity from his or her parents. A school official shall inform a student's parents within forty-eight hours if the student expresses confusion about his or her gender identity. A school official shall obtain parental consent before addressing a student using a name other than the name provided during enrollment. Finally, a school official shall obtain parental consent before using a pronoun that differs from a student's biological sex as stated on his or her birth certificate or other government record, as provided in the act.

No public or charter school shall require a school official to address someone using a pronoun that does not match the person's biological sex if doing so would be contrary to the school official's religious or moral convictions.

A school district or charter school shall determine a reasonable and fair penalty for any school official who knowingly violates any provision of this act.

This act is similar to SCS/SB 134 (2023).

OLIVIA SHANNON