In a major legal victory for parents, a federal judge on Tuesday halted enforcement of a controversial California law that prevented teachers from informing parents about their child’s “gender identity” or preferred pronouns. The ruling could have national implications, as similar policies have taken hold in Democrat-led states across the country.
U.S. District Judge Roger T. Benitez issued the decision on Monday, December 22, blocking California’s Assembly Bill 1955 (AB 1955), officially known as the Support Academic Futures and Educators for Today’s Youth Act, or SAFETY Act.
AB 1955, authored by Democrat Assemblymember Chris Ward, was signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom in July 2024 and went into effect on January 1, 2025. Ward defended the legislation as a measure to safeguard the “privacy and safety” of LGBT students in schools.
The law prohibited school districts, charter schools, and state-run educational institutions from requiring teachers or staff to disclose a student’s sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression without the student’s consent—even to parents—unless legally mandated. It also shielded educators from retaliation if they chose to withhold such information.
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