A group of Senators moved to amend “Raylee’s Law” into House Bill 5537, legislation originally intended to remove obsolete and outdated sections of the state education code.
The move had to survive a series of challenges as to whether the amendment to the amendment was germane to the bill. In one instance the chair’s ruling was overruled in a majority vote.
“Raylee’s Law” is legislation to place a hold on removing students from public schools to homeschool environments if there is a pending child abuse or neglect investigation.
The law would pause a parent’s request to remove their child from public school for homeschooling or private schooling if the parent is in involved in a child abuse or neglect investigation. Child Protective Services would have to complete the investigation within 10 days.
The law was named after Raylee Browning an 8-year-old who died of horrific abuse and neglect in 2018 after her teachers notified Child Protective Services of potential abuse, prompting her abusers to move her to homeschooling.
Raylee Browning’s father and two other adult were sentenced in 2023 to prison time in her death. The adults were accused of mistreating her and then ignoring her symptoms when she got sick before dying the day after Christmas in 2018. The cause of death was sepsis caused by a bacterial pneumonia infection.
Proponents of the bill believe it protects children and actually improves the integrity of homeschooling, pointing out that parents that homeschool their kids properly have nothing to fear from the bill
Many pro home schools lawmakers opposed the bill, arguing it is an unfair restriction on parents trying to access homeschooling. CPS has failed to properly investigate numerous cases according to the opponents of the bill.
The bill now heads to the House of Delegates for final approval.
The Senate is adjourned until tomorrow, March 14, at 11 a.m.
