Huntington Beach continues to position itself as a leading antagonist against policies coming out of Sacramento.
Last week, the city council voted to draft an ordinance declaring Huntington Beach a “parents’ right to know” city and directing the city attorney to support any legal challenges against the state’s new transgender student privacy law.
Last month, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed AB 1955 (Ward). The legislation bars schools from notifying parents when their child identifies as transgender or begins using different pronouns. The bill was crafted after several districts passed trans notification rules, sparking a series of lawsuits and recall campaigns. Critics have said these so-called “forced outing” policies violate student privacy and potentially put trans students at risk.
Surf City Mayor Gracey Van Der Mark introduced the motion to oppose AB 1955. She called it “a grave injustice against parents” and “a direct violation against our rights to raise our children.”
Councilmember Dan Kalmick, who voted against the item, noted the city doesn't have jurisdiction over local school districts. He also expressed concerns that the city could wind up facing another lawsuit from the state. The city has already been sued by California over housing and voter ID.