HB0335 — Wyoming educational religious freedom act. — WyoClear
HB0335
Failed
Wyoming educational religious freedom act.
Prohibits sectarian religious instruction and practices in Wyoming public schools, establishes complaint procedures, and specifies enforcement penalties.
Full legal title
AN ACT relating to public education; prohibiting sectarian instruction and practices in public institutions; providing definitions; specifying prohibited practices; creating a complaint process; specifying duties of the state board of education; requiring modification of accreditation status as specified; providing enforcement; providing penalties; and providing for an effective date.
Prohibits sectarian instruction and practices in Wyoming public educational institutions and establishes a complaint process, compliance standards, and accreditation penalties for violations.
Establishes the Wyoming Educational Religious Freedom Act and sets forth legislative findings that certain educational frameworks constitute sectarian instruction, including comprehensive belief systems, mandatory ritual-like practices, moral ethical frameworks, hierarchical authority structures, required worldviews, and belief-based activities. (W.S. 21-9-301, W.S. 21-9-302)
Defines 'educational institution' to include public schools, school districts, programs receiving state educational funds, and entities providing educational services under contract with the state. (W.S. 21-9-303(a))
Defines 'sectarian' to include pedagogical frameworks requiring specific beliefs about human development and identity, mandatory emotional disclosure, enforcement of particular viewpoints about power structures, predetermined moral frameworks, compulsory training on cultural competency or bias, and prescribed methods for discussing group identity. (W.S. 21-9-303(b))
Prohibits educational institutions from implementing curricula or instruction requiring students to participate in mandatory emotional disclosure, accept specific beliefs about power dynamics, engage in compulsory identity exploration, adopt particular viewpoints about social or cultural structure, follow prescribed methods for discussing group identity, or participate in mandatory cultural competency activities. (W.S. 21-9-304(a)(i))
Prohibits educational institutions from establishing equity-based grading systems, mandatory identity-focused group work, required cultural celebration activities, compulsory privilege or bias recognition exercises, prescribed protocols for discussing group identity, and required acceptance of specific power dynamic analysis. (W.S. 21-9-304(a)(ii))
Clarifies that the Act does not prohibit academic instruction about historical or scientific concepts, voluntary student participation in discussions or activities, or use of educational materials referencing diverse viewpoints or perspectives. (W.S. 21-9-304(b))
Actions (3)
2/3/2025(House)
H Did not Consider for Introduction
1/30/2025(House)
H Received for Introduction
1/29/2025(LSO)
Bill Number Assigned
Roll Call Votes (0)
No roll call votes recorded.
Requires educational institutions to establish written policies and procedures to annually review curriculum, instructional materials, supplementary materials, teacher resources, assessment materials, and professional development materials for sectarian content and to ensure materials do not mandate specific belief systems or require participation in sectarian practices. (W.S. 21-9-305(a)(i))
Requires the state board of education to establish standards and procedures for identifying violations, receive annual compliance reports, review institutional policies, and issue guidance to ensure compliance with the Act. (W.S. 21-9-306(a))
Establishes escalating penalties for violations: first violation requires a corrective action plan within 30 days, mandatory compliance training, monthly progress reports for 12 months, and a 12-month monitoring period; a second violation during monitoring changes accreditation status to 'accredited with follow-up', requires weekly compliance monitoring, curriculum submission for departmental review within 45 days, and an additional 12 months of monitoring; a third violation changes accreditation status to 'non-accredited' and requires comprehensive program review and leadership restructuring. (W.S. 21-9-306(b)(i), W.S. 21-9-306(b)(ii), W.S. 21-9-306(b)(iii))
Allows the state board to immediately change an institution's accreditation status to non-accredited for willful violations affecting 20% or more of students for 90 days, deliberate concealment of violations for 180 days, retaliation against complainants, continued violations for 60 days after notice, intentional falsification of compliance reports, or sustained non-cooperation with investigations for 90 days. Permits parents and guardians to file complaints with the state board and request review of educational materials. (W.S. 21-9-306(b)(iv), W.S. 21-9-306(c))
