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Session of 2026
HOUSE BILL No. 2710
By Committee on Education
Requested by Representative Steele on behalf of Linda Highland
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AN ACT concerning education; relating to school districts; enacting the
affirming parental rights act; requiring the state department of
education and school districts to provide a link to an affirming parental
rights webpage that describes parental rights established pursuant to
federal and state laws; establishing the standard form of such affirming
parental rights document; requiring the attorney general to provide a
description of parental rights that shall be referenced on such webpage;
requiring the state department of education to receive and investigate
reported violations of parental rights; establishing remedies for parents
who are aggrieved by such violations or by decisions of school districts
regarding complaints of such violations.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Kansas:
Section 1. (a) This act shall be known and may be cited as the
affirming parental rights act.
(b) As used in this act, "parent" means a parent or person acting as
parent as such terms are defined in K.S.A. 72-3127, and amendments
thereto.
Sec. 2. (a) In each school year, each school district shall provide to
each parent of a student who attends a school of the school district a link to
the affirming parental rights webpage, which shall be made available at a
prominent location on each school district's website homepage and on the
state department of education's website. The state department of education
shall establish the standard form of such affirming parental rights
webpage, which shall be used by all school districts, and update such
standard form as may be necessary pursuant to subsection (b). Such
affirming parental rights webpage shall include the affirming parental
rights document established pursuant to section 2, and amendments
thereto, and a listing and description of inalienable parental rights
protected by federal and state laws and any additional information on
parental rights as determined by the attorney general pursuant to
subsection (b).
(b) On or before August 1, 2026, and on or before each August 1
thereafter, the attorney general shall provide a listing and description of
inalienable parental rights protected by federal and state laws, including
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relevant United States supreme court interpretations of inalienable parental
rights protected by federal law. The attorney general may also provide
additional information, attachments and links that the attorney general
deems appropriate regarding parental rights, including, but not limited to,
links to relevant federal and state laws, court opinions or other legal
proceedings concerning parental rights. The attorney general shall update
such information as may be necessary to account for the passage of new
laws and court decisions regarding parental rights. The attorney general
shall notify the state department of education when any updates to such
information is made by the attorney general, and the state department of
education shall notify all school districts of such changes. The state
department of education and each school district shall update the
department or school district's website to reflect the revisions made by the
attorney general. All such updates shall be completed not less than 30 days
after the attorney general notifies the state department of education of such
revisions.
(c) If a parent believes that a school district is in violation of any
parental right listed on the affirming parental rights webpage, the parent
may submit written notice of the violation to the superintendent of the
school district alleged to be in violation. Upon receipt of such written
notice, a school district shall provide a written response to such alleged
violation not later than 15 days following receipt of such notice. If the
school district fails to remedy the violation to the satisfaction of the
aggrieved parent within 15 days, the parent may file a complaint with the
state department of education for an investigation of the alleged violation
pursuant to subsection (c).
(d) The state department of education shall oversee, investigate
complaints and conduct compliance reviews of any school district
regarding violations of parental rights listed on the affirming parental
rights webpage established pursuant to section 1, and amendments thereto.
Upon receipt of a complaint submitted to the department pursuant to
section 1, and amendments thereto, the department shall investigate and
determine whether the school district violated any parental right listed on
the affirming parental rights webpage. The department shall report the
department's findings and resolution to the parent and the school district
not less than 40 days following receipt of the complaint.
(e) Any parent aggrieved by a violation of any parental right listed on
the affirming parental rights webpage may bring a civil action for
declaratory and injunctive relief, damages and reasonable attorney fees
and costs. In any action brought by a parent under this subsection, the
burden shall rest upon the school district or school official to demonstrate
compliance with such parental rights.
(f) To verify that the department is fulfilling the department's duties
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described in this section, the department shall submit an annual report to
the state board of education, the attorney general and the legislature that
includes a summary of the complaints submitted, the violations reported
and the department's findings and resolutions to such complaints. All
records of reported violations pursuant to this section shall be disclosed
and made available for public inspection after such records are redacted of
any personally identifiable information.
(g) (1) If any school district or employee or agent thereof violates the
provisions of a parental right described on the affirming parental rights
webpage, the school district shall be liable for payment of a civil penalty
in an amount of $5,000 for each violation. Such civil penalty shall be
recoverable in an action brought by the attorney general or county or
district attorney.
(2) Any civil penalty recovered by the attorney general shall be
remitted to the state treasurer in accordance with the provisions of K.S.A.
75-4215, and amendments thereto. Upon receipt of each such remittance,
the treasurer shall deposit the entire amount in the state treasury to the
credit of the state general fund.
(3) Any civil penalty recovered by a county or district attorney shall
be remitted to the county treasurer and deposited in the general fund of the
county where the proceedings occurred.
Sec. 3. (a) Each school district shall provide the affirming parental
rights document established pursuant to this section on the school district's
affirming parental rights webpage and shall refer each parent to such
website location during enrollment for signature.
(b) The affirming parental rights document shall appear as follows:
AFFIRMING PARENTAL RIGHTS DOCUMENT
After reviewing your inalienable parental rights listed on the affirming
parental rights link on the website homepage of the school district and
reading and signing this document, a copy of such rights and this
document will be available for viewing and downloading for your records.
Should you inform the school district that you believe a directive protected
by law was not followed, you should first file a written complaint to the
school district superintendent. If the school district fails to satisfactorily
resolve the complaint within 15 days, you may file a complaint with the
Kansas state department of education. The department will have 40 days to
bring a resolution. Additional legal remedies may be available to you.
I affirm my inalienable rights protected by the law:
________________________________________
Sec. 4. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, rules and
regulations, guidance, policy, contract or memorandum of understanding
to the contrary, the provisions of this act shall govern and control.
Sec. 5. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its
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publication in the statute book.1