🚨 Action Alert - HB531 Chaplains in Schools Bill 🚨

TLDR - Ohio House Bill 531 (HB531), the Chaplains in Schools Bill, is up for opponent testimony before the House Education Committee on Tuesday, March 10, at 2:15pm. We need people to testify against the bill in-person. For instructions on how to testify see the bottom of this message.

HB531 - What is it?

HB531 would permit school districts to adopt and implement policy by which volunteer religious chaplains could offer “spiritual programming, support, and counseling” to students in grades K-12. While each chaplain would be required to complete a background check and receive “endorsement or certification by a recognized ecclesiastical endorsing agency,” the bill relies on individual school districts to put further requirements and restrictions in place. The bill requires districts to either adopt a policy or reject the policy no later than December 1, 2026.

What are LOVEboldly’s concerns?

The bill provides no restrictions on what these chaplains could address with students, what they could distribute to students, and when and how their services would be utilized during the school day. Here are some of the questions HB531 raises, but doesn’t answer:

• Who, at the district level, makes the determination as to which chaplains are allowed to volunteer? Is the process equitable even to chaplains within the same faith tradition?

• Could chaplains proselytize to students?

• Could chaplains attempt to conduct conversion “therapy” on LGBTQIA+ students?

• Could chaplains encourage students to attend their particular church?

• Would chaplains be offered to religious minority students?

What can you do to push back?

We need people to testify in-person against HB531 or to submit written testimony. The hearing is scheduled for Tuesday, March 10, at 2:15pm in Room 121.

You must submit your testimony (in-person or written) no later than Monday, March 9, at 2:15pm (24 hours prior to the hearing). You now have two options for submitting testimony:

1. Go to the committee’s website (click here) and click on the meeting date. Then click on “Upload Testimony.” (Note - As of Thursday night the March 10 hearing was not yet listed so you may have to check back.)

   
   

2. Submit your testimony via email to OHREducationCommittee@ohiohouse.gov along with a witness slip (click here to download the witness slip).

Please send a copy of your testimony to us at admin@loveboldly.org.

We are particularly looking for clergy to testify in person and in clerics if possible.

Have questions?

Contact Rev. Dr. Ben at bhuelskamp@loveboldly.org.