HR 2616 United States House · 119th Congress

Stopping Indoctrination and Protecting Kids Act

HR 2616, the PROTECT Kids Act, requires public elementary and middle schools receiving federal education funding to obtain parental consent before changing a student's gender markers, pronouns, or preferred name on school forms, or before assigning them to sex-based accommodations like locker rooms or bathrooms. The bill directly affects minor students in elementary school or middle grades (ages typically 5-14). Schools must secure this consent as a condition for maintaining federal funding under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. The law focuses on specific administrative changes to student records and facility assignments, not broader educational content or curriculum.

Issues: ✗ Education

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Apr 2025

Committee Review

May 2026

House Passage

May 2026

Senate Passage

President

Introduced Apr 3, 2025 Last action May 21, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Introduced in House → Engrossed in House · 4 edits · May 20, 2026

MODERATE

The bill was renamed from the 'PROTECT Kids Act' to the 'Stopping Indoctrination and Protecting Kids Act,' shifting its framing from parental rights to anti-indoctrination. Most significantly, a new section 3 was added that prohibits the use of Elementary and Secondary Education Act funds to teach or advance concepts related to gender ideology as defined in Executive Order 14168. This expands the bill from a parental consent requirement into a funding prohibition on specific curriculum content.

SCOPE

The short title was changed from 'Parental Rights Over The Education and Care of Their Kids Act or the PROTECT Kids Act' to 'Stopping Indoctrination and Protecting Kids Act,' reframing the bill around preventing indoctrination rather than parental rights.

The section 2 heading was expanded to explicitly include 'and sex-based accommodations,' making clearer that the parental consent requirement covers both school forms and physical facilities like locker rooms and bathrooms.

FISCAL

A new section 3 was added that amends ESEA section 8526 to prohibit the use of federal education funds to teach or advance concepts related to gender ideology, as defined in section 2 of Executive Order 14168. This is a substantive funding restriction on school curriculum content.

TECHNICAL

Section 2(a) changed from 'shall be required to obtain' to 'shall obtain,' a minor legal drafting cleanup removing redundant language.

Floor votes · House May 20, 2026

How they voted

217–198

Passed · 15 other

Total votes 430

May 20, 2026

D Democratic212

8 Yea 198 Nay 6

93% Nay

I Independent1

1 Yea

100% Yea

R Republican217

208 Yea 9

95% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

May 21, 2026

Committee

Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

upper

May 20, 2026

Lower · Passed

On passage Passed by recorded vote: 217 - 198 (Roll no. 184). (text of amendment in the nature of a substitute: CR H3652)

lower

May 20, 2026

Lower · Passed

Passed/agreed to in House: On passage Passed by recorded vote: 217 - 198 (Roll no. 184). (text of amendment in the nature of a substitute: CR H3652)

lower

May 20, 2026

Lower · Passed

Ms. Balint moved to recommit to the Committee on Education and Workforce. (CR H3658)

lower

Apr 29, 2026

Lower · Passed

Rules Committee Resolution H. Res. 1224 Reported to House. Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 7567, H.R. 2616, S. Con. Res. 33, S. 1318 and H.R. 1346. The resolution provides for consideration of H.R. 7567 under a structured rule and H.R. 2616, S. Con. Res. 33, S. 1318, and H.R. 1346 under a closed rule, with one hour of general debate on each measure. The resolution provides for one motion to recommit on H.R. 7567, H.R. 2616, and H.R. 1346, and one motion to commit on S. 1318.

lower

Jan 13, 2026

Lower · Passed

Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Education and Workforce. H. Rept. 119-441.

lower

Apr 9, 2025

Introduced

Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 18 - 12.

lower

Apr 9, 2025

Lower · Passed

Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held

lower

Apr 3, 2025

Committee

Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.

lower

Apr 3, 2025

Introduced

Introduced in House

lower

1 primary · 4 co-sponsors