2023 House Bill 173: An Act relating to education

HB173 will establish a complaint system for when a parent believes those rights have been violated. The bill will require parents to be notified of significant changes in “a child’s gender expression” and the name/pronouns the child uses at school. The parent will also have rights to review curriculum and provide consent to a number of school actions. The bill will ban any policies that would punish an employee for “for refusal or failure to use a name or other identifier in reference to a child that is inconsistent with the child’s information listed on the school enrollment documentation.” HB173 will ban affinity groups around any protected class. The bill will restrict bathroom access for transgender Kentucky students. HB173 will ban teacher-promoted social advocacy for “controversial” subjects. It will also prohibit the discussion of sexual orientation and gender expression that is “inconsistent with biological sex” through eighth grade and restricts such discussion beyond eighth grade to approved curriculum. School employees, under the bill, will not be allowed to discuss their own sexual orientation, sexual preference, or gender expression if it is “inconsistent with their biological sex.” HB173 will ban symbols of sexual orientation or gender expression that are “inconsistent with biological sex,” which includes Pride flags. The bill will also prohibit drag shows within schools.

KSVT believes that HB173 is an egregious bill designed to target LGBTQ+ Kentuckians, intentionally creating hostile spaces for these students, that is being delivered under the guise of “parent rights.”