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Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine has signed a bill into law that will require school districts to create a mandatory religious instruction release time policy and require educators to out a students鈥� sexuality to their parents.

The law will take effect 90 days after DeWine signed the bill.

during the final day of the lame duck session in 2024 and LGBTQ advocates called on .

State Reps. D.J. Swearingen, R-Huron, and Sara Carruthers, R-Hamilton, introduced . Supporters called the bill the 鈥淧arents鈥� Bill of Rights鈥� while opponents called it the 鈥淒on鈥檛 Say Gay鈥� bill, due to its similar language to Florida鈥檚 鈥楧on鈥檛 Say Gay鈥� law that passed in 2022.

The bill requires public schools to let parents know about sexuality content materials ahead of time so they can request alternative instructions.

It also prohibits any sexuality content from being taught to students in kindergarten through third grade. H.B. 8 defines sexuality content as 鈥渙ral or written instruction, presentation, image or description of sexual concepts or gender ideology.鈥�

This bill is one of a few during the most recent General Assembly.

This new law strengthens Ohio鈥檚 existing law around religious release time by creating a mandate. Currently, Ohio allows school district boards of education to make a policy to let students go to a course in religious instruction during the school day, but this now becomes a requirement for Ohio school boards.

鈥淧arents, not government bureaucrats, should be making healthcare and education decisions for their kids,鈥� Center for Christian Virtue President Aaron Baer said in a . 鈥淗.B. 8 protects children by safeguarding parents鈥� rights to make important decisions for their children.鈥�

The United States Supreme Court upheld religious released time laws during the 1952 case, which allowed a school district to have students leave school for part of the day to receive religious instruction.

Religious release time instruction must meet three criteria: the courses must take place off school property, be privately funded, and students must have parental permission.

a Hilliard-based religious instruction program, already enrolls students in about 160 Ohio school districts and celebrated the governor鈥檚 signing.

鈥淎ll Ohio families have the freedom to choose off-campus religious instruction during school hours for their students,鈥� LifeWise said in a statement.

Two central Ohio school districts, Westerville and Worthington, rescinded their religious release time policy last year. Both districts formerly allowed  off-campus for Bible classes during school hours.

鈥淲e are especially grateful that any local programs that had been put on hold will be able to resume their growing programs and that communities will now have the clarity they need to provide families with the opportunity to choose Bible-based character education for their child,鈥� LifeWise said in a statement.

is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Ohio Capital Journal maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor David Dewitt for questions: [email protected].

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