House Bill 3586, known as the Right to Raise Act, was authored by Rep. Erick Harris, R-Edmond. The measure protects Oklahomans from being denied the opportunity to adopt or foster children solely because they use biologically accurate language or choose to raise a child consistent with the child’s biological sex. HB3586 also clarifies that those actions alone do not constitute child abuse, neglect or child endangerment.
“Child welfare policy should be focused on protecting children from actual harm, not punishing parents for speaking biological truth,” Harris said. “The Right to Raise Act clearly specifies that the state must evaluate families based on their ability to care for children, not whether they conform to an ideological agenda. Parents are responsible for raising their children, and government has a responsibility to respect that role.”
When debating in favor of the bill on the House floor in March, Harris told House members that the bill is “protecting the rights of parents to parent their children in the way that they see fit.” Harris also reiterated that the bill still allows for abuse or neglect charges to be brought when appropriate.
“If a parent is abusing their child, this bill still allows that parent to be charged with abuse, to be charged with child neglect, and whatever else that parent should be charged with for committing a crime,” Harris said.
With the Right to Raise Act taking effect, Oklahoma is establishing clear protections for parents in adoption, foster care and child-welfare proceedings. Harris, an attorney, said cases in other states highlight the need for this law.
In Indiana, M.C. and J.C. v. Indiana Department of Child Services involved parents who challenged state intervention related to their decision to raise their child as their biological sex, and an Oregon family filed a federal lawsuit in July 2026 alleging that child-welfare officials penalized them for using biologically accurate language when raising their child.
“Across the country, families have challenged child-welfare decisions they say penalized them for their beliefs about biological sex and gender identity,” Harris said. “Oklahoma’s Right to Raise Act establishes a clear standard for our state: parents should not be treated as abusive or neglectful simply because they hold those beliefs.”
The Right to Raise Act takes effect Nov. 1, 2026.
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