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LEGISLATIVE ALERT
Dear Fellow Home Educators:
SB 6 has been placed on the Senate Calendar and could be voted on as early as Monday, March 30, 2026.
WHAT HAPPENED SINCE THE CHILDREN'S COMMITTEE VOTE on March 5?
SECTION 5 requires that when any child is withdrawn from public school, the school must first notify the State Department of Education which is to then notify DCF in order to place a note in the file of any child who has received an order for protective services or is receiving protective services. The substitute language would require DCF to destroy the records of anyone withdrawing who had not been connected to DCF. The full language of the current version of the bill, together with a fiscal analysis and bill analysis is HERE. This reporting enables a potential database within both the Education Department and with DCF, despite language regarding DCF destruction of records.
Both the Commissioner of Education and the Office of Legislative Research have noted a potential FERPA violation in Section 5. The Commissioner has stated she will not comply with Section 5 for that reason. The bill has received 788 written testimonies in opposition to SB 6, specifically requesting removal of Section 5. Only 19 testimonies supported Section 5.
While TEACH CT supports changes to DCF, including communicating with schools, we oppose relying on profiling of innocent families. Parents withdraw their children for many reasons, including a move to private schools, military moves, and homeschooling. Instead of focusing on families with substantiated cases, this bill sweeps everyone into the system.
SB 6 treats anyone who withdraws from public school as inherently suspect, instead of presumably innocent. Such a law would chill parent's free exercise to choose their preferred type of education.
There is no reason to place this burden on innocent families, including homeschoolers who statistically are safer than those who are in public school. Section 5 would build more bureaucracy, not more protection.
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
The bill was first placed on the Senate calendar on March 24.
A bill must occur on the Senate calendar for 3 days before it can be voted on. Leadership controls when it is called for a vote (when the bill is "raised").
A bill could be referred to another committee to address concerns raised in the OLR analysis, such as the FERPA violation, as well as the need for funding. Possible referrals would be to Appropriations (there is a cost mentioned in the fiscal analysis) or to Judiciary (to consider the FERPA violation).
If not referred out, the bill could face amendments from the floor, including those originally made in Children's Committee such as removal of Section 5 or changing Section 5 to a study of communications between schools and DCF.
ACTION:
1. Please consider visiting the Capitol for a few hours in the upcoming days. Bring your signs, meet with your legislator if possible. The State Senate meets in the Senate Chambers located on the third floor of the Capitol (not LOB). You may cross from the LOB to the Capitol using the concourse. The Senate session may be viewed from either Senate Gallery that can be accessed from the fourth floor, or hang out near the velvet ropes of the Senate- wherever you see legislators. Even if you can't speak to a legislator, they know when we are there and your presence makes a difference! See Item 2 below for information on finding your legislator. You can use this sign up sheet to coordinate your trip with other homeschooling families.
2. Please contact the your Senator to ask them to "Please remove Section 5 of SB6". Place this in the subject line of your email. If you are a Democrat, please mention that also. Your message needn't be long - simply the bill number and a few reasons why you oppose any oversight of homeschoolers, which in this case includes unwarranted surveillance and data collection and the illegality of the bill under Federal law.
You can find your Senator HERE. If your legislator is a Senate leader, it is even more helpful to reach out to them. The leaders' contact info is listed below. Please ask them to please remove Section 5 of SB 6. Note the Lt Governor votes only in the case of a tie.
Lt Gov & Senate President- Susan Bysiewicz (D) 860.524.7384 ltgovernor.bysiewicz.ct.gov
Senate President Pro Tempore: Martin M Looney (D) 860.240.0375 looney@senatedems.ct.gov
Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff (D) 860.240.0414 duff@senatedems.ct.gov
Senate Minority Leader - Stephen Harding (R) 860.240.8800 stephen.harding@cga.ct.gov
This information will also be available on our website, our Facebook page, TEACH CT, and in our Facebook group, TEACH CT Homeschoolers.
3. Pray! 1 Tim 2:1 "I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;
2 For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty."
Let your legislators know that you are praying for them!
Your involvement does make a difference! Large participation by homeschoolers contacting their legislators has preserved our homeschool freedoms in the past and is currently making a difference. Your testimonies have given legislators pause. Eight democrats initially voted with us in the committee vote on HB 5468. We need to keep communicating! At least 3 committee members who voted Yes to send SB 6 to the Senate expressed concern about the legality of the bill and reserved their right to change their vote to a No on the floor.
Thank you for standing with us to protect parental rights and homeschooling freedoms in CT. Every voice and every body makes a difference!
In Prayer,
Pam Lucashu, Legislative Liaison
"And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap,
if we faint not." Gal 6:9
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