Washington voters face parental-rights ballot measure amid national debate

Initiative 001, championed by the conservative organization Let’s Go Washington, aims to reinstate a parental-rights provision that would obligate schools to notify parents before a student accesses non-emergency medical treatment or mental-health counseling on campus. The proposal is slated for the Nov. 3 general election, joining two other statewide measures on girls’ sports and a tax repeal. Suzanne Gallagher, executive director of Parents Rights in Education, highlighted the issue’s relevance across the country at a recent campaign kickoff.

The initiative reverses the 2025 House Bill 1296, which limited parental access to student health records and created a new oversight role for the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. State Democrats refused a public hearing, allowing the measure to proceed directly to the ballot. Proponents claim the change safeguards parental involvement, while critics warn it could undermine privacy protections for LGBTQ and transgender students.