Proposed gender identification measure fails to qualify for California ballot

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Californians won’t be voting this November on a policy that would have required schools to notify parents if their child asks to change their gender identification.

Proponents of a ballot measure to create such a statewide policy announced Tuesday they failed to collect enough signatures to put the measure before voters this fall. They said it would have provided necessary transparency for parents. But opponents said it could have threatened the safety of children who don’t live in welcoming households.

So-called parental notification policies have been a flashpoint in some California school districts this year, leading to legal battles with the state.

Proponents of the measure had sued Attorney General Rob Bonta over the title and summary he issued for the proposed ballot measure, arguing it was biased and made it harder for them to collect signatures. Bonta titled the measure the “Restrict Rights of Transgender Youth” initiative, but backers wanted it changed to the “Protect Kids of California Act.” They also wanted the summary updated.

“While we are disappointed we didn’t meet the threshold to qualify for the ballot, we are encouraged by the amount of support from every sector of the state,” campaign organizer Jonathan Zachreson said in a statement.

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