# 119-s-204: Families’ Rights and Responsibilities Act

119-s-204, Families’ Rights and Responsibilities Act, is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Sen. Scott, Tim [R-SC] (R-SC); status introduced (as of 2026-08-11).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-204
- As of: 2026-08-11
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 119-s-204
- Congress: 119
- Title: Families’ Rights and Responsibilities Act
- Status: introduced
- Introduced: 2025-01-23
- Sponsor: Sen. Scott, Tim [R-SC] (R-SC)
- Cosponsors: 6
- Policy area: Families
- Touches household money: no
- Last recorded action: 2026-08-11

## Summary

**Makes parental control over a child's education, moral upbringing, and health care a protected, fundamental right.** It would sharply limit federal actions that "substantially burden" parental decisions unless the government shows a compelling interest and uses the least restrictive means. - Parents and families: Clarifies parents' authority to direct education, moral or religious upbringing, and health care decisions, including access to and consent for their child's medical records. - Children and safety: Carves out an exception when parental actions would cause serious physical injury or end a child's life. - Federal programs and agencies: Applies to every federal law and its implementation and would constrain federal actions that withhold benefits, impose penalties, or otherwise burden parental choices unless narrowly justified. - Courts and legal remedies: Lets parents bring claims or defenses in federal or state court or in administrative tribunals and permits recovery of attorneys' fees in appropriate cases.

## Cosponsors (6)

- Sen. Lankford, James [R-OK] (R-OK), 2025-01-23T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Cramer, Kevin [R-ND] (R-ND), 2025-01-23T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Barrasso, John [R-WY] (R-WY), 2025-01-23T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Kennedy, John [R-LA] (R-LA), 2025-01-27T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Banks, Jim [R-IN] (R-IN), 2025-02-25T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Budd, Ted [R-NC] (R-NC), 2026-07-21T00:00:00.000Z

## Provisions PRIA read

- Parental rights apply to all federal laws: benefit, high. If enacted, the bill would make this Act apply to every federal law and to how agencies implement those laws. Courts and agencies would be told to interpret the Act broadly to protect parental rights. Federal laws passed later would be subject to this Act unless they explicitly say they do not appl…
- Stronger parental rights and definitions: benefit, medium. If enacted, parents would have a fundamental liberty to direct their child's upbringing, education, and health care. The bill would define key terms like "parent," "child," "government," and "substantial burden," and say that a substantial burden can include withholding benefits, penalties, or excl…
- Attorneys' fees for parental rights suits: benefit, low. If enacted, the bill would add the Families' Rights and Responsibilities Act to federal fee-shifting rules. Prevailing parties in lawsuits or administrative adjudications under the Act could be considered for attorneys' fees under existing federal statutes. This change would take effect upon enactm…

## Related bills

- 119-s-3752: SAVE America Act
- 119-s-401: Fair Access to Banking Act
- 119-s-587: Death Tax Repeal Act of 2025
- 119-s-186: No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion and Abortion Insurance Full Disclosure Act of 2025
- 119-s-6: Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act
- 119-s-3697: SAVE Moms and Babies Act of 2026

## Sources
- [119-s-204 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/204)

## Related
- [119-s-3752: SAVE America Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-3752)
- [119-s-401: Fair Access to Banking Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-401)
- [119-s-587: Death Tax Repeal Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-587)
- [119-s-186: No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion and Abortion Insurance Full Disclosure Act of…](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-186)
- [119-s-6: Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-6)
- [119-s-3697: SAVE Moms and Babies Act of 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-3697)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-204 (as of 2026-08-11).