New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu, a
Republican, on Thursday said that he would veto a bill that critics
say would require schools to out LGBTQ children to their parents.
House Bill 1431, titled the “Parental
Bill of Rights,” would require New Hampshire schools to notify
parents on a range of issues, including clubs students join and
discussions they had with teachers or faculty members.
Opponents of the measure say it would
essentially out LGBTQ students to their parents.
"It's totally inappropriate for
school officials to take on the role of outing students to their
families, and coming out should always be an intimate moment within a
family, not a clumsy event," Chris Erchull, of GLBTQ Legal
Advocates & Defenders (GLAD), told ABC affiliate WMUR.
JR Hoell, treasurer of Rebuild NH,
which is opposed to COVID-19 vaccine mandates, said that the measure
is needed to keep parents involved in their children's school lives.
"So, there are a lot of cases
where things are going on in a school system, and the parents are
never informed, and this will allow for notification to the parents,
and there's a long list of things that would be notified –
everything from bullying to failing grades," Hoell
said.
In a statement, Sununu said that he
would veto the proposed legislation.
“This bill as written creates
numerous challenges for kids. I share the concerns of the attorney
general and, as such, will veto the bill if it reaches my desk,” he
said, referring to a warning issued by the attorney general's office
that the bill could violate the state's nondiscrimination law.
Republican leaders revived the bill
after it appeared to be dead last week.