Oppose HB 2616 and HB 2617 - Don't Erase Trans Students

Vote no on HB 2616 and HB 2617. These bills don't protect anyone. They erase trans students from schools and put vulnerable kids at risk. It's 2026. Trans people exist. Gay people exist. Some people's discomfort with that reality doesn't justify stripping federal funding from schools that acknowledge basic facts about their students. HB 2616 would force schools to out trans and gender-questioning kids to their parents before using their correct names or pronouns. That's not parental rights. That's state-mandated outing that could endanger kids in unsafe homes. HB 2617 goes further by banning any federal funds for education that mentions "gender ideology," a vague term designed to censor honest conversations about the students sitting in our classrooms right now. Trans kids aren't a political agenda. They're students who deserve the same safety and respect as everyone else. These bills will worsen mental health outcomes for LGBTQ youth and tie teachers' hands when students need support. Florida already tried this with their "Don't Say Gay" laws. We've seen the harm. Don't bring that cruelty nationwide. Vote no.