Lamont Set to Sign Homeschool Bill, Expanding State Control Over Families
Connecticut governor prepares to sign legislation granting DCF unprecedented power to police homeschooling families, despite agency's own report showing 93 percent of investigations failed to meet standards.
Governor Ned Lamont prepares to sign legislation that hands Connecticut's Department of Children and Families sweeping new authority over families who teach their own children at home. H.B. 5468 expands state power into the most private corners of family life, even as the agency's own watchdog found 93 percent of DCF investigations failed to meet the department's own standards.
Connecticut stands alone as the only state without formal homeschooling regulations. The new law would force parents through invasive DCF background checks and require in-person withdrawal procedures at district offices. Education, once a fundamental parental right, becomes a government-granted privilege under the bill.
The legislation takes effect in phases. Parents must file annual notices of intent for children ages 5 through 18, beginning in 2028. First-time homeschoolers face mandatory appearances at school district offices starting in 2027. Most invasive, the law requires superintendents to run DCF registry checks on every household adult before approving a child's withdrawal from public school.
Republican Sen. Eric Berthel called the agency "a train wreck" and warned that background checks could take days or weeks to process. The delay itself becomes a barrier for families seeking to exercise their educational choices.
The bill hands expanded power to an agency that Acting Child Advocate Christina Ghio found repeatedly fell short of basic investigative standards. Her April report documented that 93 percent of all DCF investigations failed to meet benchmarks the agency set for itself.
HSLDA attorney Ralph Rodriguez said the bill violates constitutional protections. Everyone agrees that protecting children is critical, he said, but the Constitution requires precision, fairness and respect for fundamental rights. This bill falls very short of that standard.
The Senate passed the measure 22-14 along party lines just before midnight on May 4, following nearly six hours of debate. Republicans, homeschool advocates and religious leaders denounced the legislation during the late-night session.
Sen. Berthel, ranking member of the Education Committee, said what is at stake in H.B. 5468 is not simply homeschooling, but the meaning of liberty itself.
Lamont signaled he will sign the bill, calling the legislative session "pretty good" in comments to reporters. The governor dismissed questions about vetoes, confirming his embrace of expanded state power over family life.
The legislation emerged after three high-profile child abuse cases involving homeschooled children known to DCF. Advocates cited the deaths of Mimi Torres-García in New Britain and Eve Rogers in Enfield, as well as the captivity of a Waterbury man identified only as "S."
Yet opponents argue the state targets the wrong institution. Mason told the Washington Examiner that if you think that the right is fundamental, you shouldn't have to wait for it to be recognized. He noted that placement on DCF registries depends on individual caseworkers' judgments and creates lifelong consequences for innocent families.
Mason said the central register is determined by the investigating caseworker, and literature shows that being placed on the registry is an error-prone approach with long-term consequences on people who don't deserve it.
The bill passed the House on April 23 by a 96-53 vote, with four Democrats crossing party lines. Democrats removed portfolio and assessment requirements during floor debates but retained the DCF background check mandate.
Senate Republicans warned the legislation represents political targeting rather than legitimate child protection. They cited Supreme Court precedents like Pierce v. Society of Sisters, which established parents' right to direct education.
Peter Wolfgang, executive director of the Family Institute of Connecticut, called the legislation "substituting the government for the family" and declaring "that children belong to the state instead of to their own family."
The bill lacks enforcement mechanisms if parents refuse compliance. Families denied approval could continue homeschooling without penalties, creating a symbolic power grab without practical safeguards.
HSLDA vowed to explore legal challenges if Lamont signs the bill into law. Rodriguez confirmed the organization would use "all legal options available in order to protect fundamental rights in this state."
If enacted, H.B. 5468 takes effect in 2027, permanently shifting educational authority from parents to state bureaucrats. The legislation sets a dangerous precedent for government intrusion nationwide, treating parental rights as conditional on state approval.