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HR 2616
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Stopping Indoctrination and Protecting Kids Act

H. R. 2616 To require public elementary and middle schools that receive funds under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to obtain parental consent before changing a minor's gender markers, pronouns, or preferred name on any school form or sex-based accommodations, including locker rooms or bathrooms.

Introduced Apr 3, 2025

Latest action (May 21, 2026) Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

Referred to
Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee Education and Workforce Committee
Issues
Education

Summary

This bill requires public elementary and middle schools that receive Federal funds under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act to obtain parental consent before changing a student's gender markers, pronouns, or preferred name on school forms. The bill also requires parental consent before changing a student's sex-based accommodations, such as locker rooms or bathrooms. The requirement applies to elementary school students and students in middle grades as defined by the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. Schools that receive funds under the Act must comply with this parental consent requirement as a condition of receiving Federal funding. The bill uses existing Federal definitions for the terms "elementary school," "middle grades," and "parent."

AI-generated plain-language summary of the bill text — neutral, and may be imperfect. See the full text below for the exact wording.

Sponsor (1)
4 cosponsors

Actions (20)
  1. May 21, 2026 Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. · senate
  2. May 20, 2026 Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection. · house
  3. May 20, 2026 On passage Passed by recorded vote: 217 - 198 (Roll no. 184). (text of amendment in the nature of a substitute: CR H3652) · house
  4. May 20, 2026 Passed/agreed to in House: On passage Passed by recorded vote: 217 - 198 (Roll no. 184). (text of amendment in the nature of a substitute: CR H3652)
  5. May 20, 2026 On motion to recommit Failed by the Yeas and Nays: 207 - 208 (Roll no. 183). · house
  6. May 20, 2026 Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H3660-3661) · house
  7. May 20, 2026 POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS - At the conclusion of debate on H.R. 2616, the Chair put the question on motion to recommit and by voice vote, announced the ayes had prevailed. Mr. Walberg demanded the yeas and nays and the Chair postponed further proceedings until a time to be announced. · house
  8. May 20, 2026 The previous question on the motion to recommit was ordered pursuant to clause 2(b) of rule XIX. · house
  9. May 20, 2026 Ms. Balint moved to recommit to the Committee on Education and Workforce. (CR H3658) · house
  10. May 20, 2026 The previous question was ordered pursuant to the rule. · house
  11. May 20, 2026 DEBATE - The House proceeded with one hour of debate on H.R. 2616. · house
  12. May 20, 2026 Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 7567, H.R. 2616, S. Con. Res. 33, S. 1318 and H.R. 1346. The resolution provides for consideration of H.R. 7567 under a structured rule and H.R. 2616, S. Con. Res. 33, S. 1318, and H.R. 1346 under a closed rule, with one hour of general debate on each measure. The resolution provides for one motion to recommit on H.R. 7567, H.R. 2616, and H.R. 1346, and one motion to commit on S. 1318. · house
  13. May 20, 2026 Considered under the provisions of rule H. Res. 1224. (consideration: CR H3652-3659) · house
  14. Apr 29, 2026 Rules Committee Resolution H. Res. 1224 Reported to House. Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 7567, H.R. 2616, S. Con. Res. 33, S. 1318 and H.R. 1346. The resolution provides for consideration of H.R. 7567 under a structured rule and H.R. 2616, S. Con. Res. 33, S. 1318, and H.R. 1346 under a closed rule, with one hour of general debate on each measure. The resolution provides for one motion to recommit on H.R. 7567, H.R. 2616, and H.R. 1346, and one motion to commit on S. 1318. · house
  15. Jan 13, 2026 Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 377. · house
  16. Jan 13, 2026 Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Education and Workforce. H. Rept. 119-441. · house
  17. Apr 9, 2025 Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 18 - 12. · house
  18. Apr 9, 2025 Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held · house
  19. Apr 3, 2025 Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce. · house
  20. Apr 3, 2025 Introduced in House

How your representatives voted

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Roll-call votes (2)

How the chamber voted on this bill — the outcome, the tally by party, and every member's recorded position. A factual record.

Similar bills (6)

Bills with similar text or summary — includes reintroductions across Congresses. Ranked by semantic similarity of the bill text (computed locally); a neutral discovery aid, not a claim the bills are duplicates.

  • HR 7661 — Stop the Sexualization of Children Act · Introduced Jul 2, 2026 · Cong. 119 71%
  • HR 5116 — Empower Parents to Protect their Kids Act · Introduced Sep 3, 2025 · Cong. 119 70%
  • HR 7981 — Stop Secret Counseling of Students Act · Introduced Mar 18, 2026 · Cong. 119 70%
  • HR 5691 — To prohibit the provision of Federal funds to a local educational agency that imposes or enforces a COVID-19 vaccine mandate on students at the schools served by such agency. · Introduced Oct 3, 2025 · Cong. 119 67%
  • HR 8705 — CHARLIE Act · Introduced May 21, 2026 · Cong. 119 66%
  • S 4925 — Stop the Sexualization of Children Act · Introduced Jun 24, 2026 · Cong. 119 65%

Text versions (4)
  • Referred in Senate · May 21, 2026
  • Engrossed in House · May 20, 2026
  • Reported in House · Jan 13, 2026
  • Introduced in House · Apr 3, 2025

Committee action

What happened to this bill in committee — the meetings where it was considered and every recorded vote taken on it.

Meetings where this bill was on the agenda

Full text

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

April 3, 2025

Mr. Walberg introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and Workforce

January 13, 2026

Additional sponsors: Mr. Owens, Mrs. Miller of Illinois, Mr. Onder, and Mr. Kiley of California

January 13, 2026

Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed [Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic] [For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on April 3, 2025]

A BILL

To require public elementary and middle schools that receive funds under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to obtain parental consent before changing a minor’s gender markers, pronouns, or preferred name on any school form or sex-based accommodations, including locker rooms or bathrooms.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the “Parental Rights Over The Education and Care of Their Kids Act” or the “PROTECT Kids Act”.

SEC. 2. PARENTAL CONSENT REQUIREMENT RELATED TO GENDER MARKERS, PRONOUNS, AND PREFERRED NAMES ON SCHOOL FORMS AND SEX- BASED ACCOMMODATIONS.

(a) Requirement.—As a condition of receiving funds under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6301 et seq.), a public school that receives funds under such Act shall obtain parental consent before changing a covered student’s—

(1) gender markers, pronouns, or preferred name on any school form; or

(2) sex-based accommodations, including locker rooms or bathrooms.

(b) Definitions.—In this section:

(1) Covered student.—The term “covered student” means a minor who is—

(A) an elementary school student; or

(B) a student in any of the middle grades.

(2) ESEA terms.—The terms “elementary school”, “middle grades”, and “parent” have the meanings given such terms in section 8101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801). Union Calendar No. 377

119th CONGRESS

2d Session

H. R. 2616

[Report No. 119-441]

A BILL

To require public elementary and middle schools that receive funds under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to obtain parental consent before changing a minor’s gender markers, pronouns, or preferred name on any school form or sex-based accommodations, including locker rooms or bathrooms.

January 13, 2026

Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed

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