From the ECS State Policy Database Curriculum--Sex Education

This database is made possible by your state's fiscal support of the Education Commission of the States (ECS). Most entries are legislative, although rules/regulations and executive orders that make substantive changes are included. Every effort is made to collect the latest available version of policies; in some instances, recent changes might not be reflected. For expediency purposes minimal attention has been paid to style (capitalization, punctuation) and format. Please cite use of the database as: Education Commission of the States (ECS) State Policy Database, retrieved [date]. State Status/Date Level Summary NC Signed into law 07/2013 P-12 Health Curriculum/Preterm Birth S.B. 132 Adds the instruction on preventable causes of preterm birth, including induced abortion as a cause of preterm birth in subsequent pregnancies to the school health education program on the and requires that charter schools also provide such instruction. http://... More... IL To governor 06/2013 P-12 Abstinence and Contraception in Sex Education H.B. 2675 Requires that any comprehensive sex education course in grades 6-12 include instruction in and that course materials place substantial emphasis on both abstinence and contraception for the prevention of pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases, including HI... More... MT Vetoed 04/2013 P-12 Defines Scope/boundaries of Sex Ed K-12 H.B. 239 Prohibits a child from receiving instruction about human sexuality unless that child's parent agrees in writing to allow the child to attend the instruction. http://data.opi.mt.gov/bills/2013/billpdf/HB0239.pdf... More... WA Signed into law 04/2013 P-12 Explaining Consequences for Conviction of Sexual Offenses Where the Victim is a Minor in Sexual Education H.B. 1397 Requires the development of educational materials to be made available throughout the state to inform parents, students, school districts, and other interested community members about the laws related to sex offenses, including the legal elements of sexual of... More... TN Signed into law 05/2012 P-12 Sex Education S.B. 3310 Provides that sex education shall be abstinence-centered. Prevents programs that promote or condone "gateway sexual activities," which are sexual activities that put the student at risk of pregnancy or sexually transmitted diseases. Requires parental notificat... More... WI Signed into law 04/2012 P-12 Partnership Between Parents and Schools to Promote the Optimal Health and Well-Being of Pupils S.B. 237 Repeals provisions that encouraged boards to ensure that pupils were provided age-appropriate instruction in human growth and development. Replaced with provision to foster a partnership between parents and schools to promote the optimal health and well-being ... More... TN Signed into law 03/2012 P-12 AIDS-related Curricula H.B. 2414 Requires the office of research and education accountability and the department of health to do studies on AIDS curricula. Directs department to survey other state health departments' AIDS public outreach and education programs. http://www.capitol.tn.gov/Bill... More... UT Vetoed 03/2012 P-12 Health Education Amendments H.B. 363 Defines "abstinence only instructional materials" and "human sexuality instruction or instructional program". Specifies that a local board or charter school governing board may, but is not required to, provide human sexuality instruction or instructional progr... More... ND Signed into law 05/2011 P-12 Health Curriculum Component on Sexual Health H.B. 1229 Beginning July 1, 2012, each school district and nonpublic school is required to ensure that the portion of its health curriculum which is related to sexual health includes instruction pertaining to the risks associated with adolescent sexual activity and the ... More... MT Vetoed 04/2011 P-12 Parental Control Over Student Participation H.B. 456 Allows parental control over student participation in courses of instruction, assemblies, etc. that involve human sexual education. Requires districts to inform parents/guardians when such events will be held or taught. Prohibits districts from allowing any ab... More... MS Signed into law 03/2011 P-12 Abstinence-Only and Abstinence-Plus Education H.B. 999 Requires local boards to implement abstinence-only or abstinence-plus sex-education policies by June 30, 2012. Requires state department of education to approve program curriculum and establish protocol to provude continuity in teaching the approved curriculum... More... VA Signed into law 03/2011 P-12 Family Life Education S.B. 906 Provides that any family life education curriculum offered by a local school division shall require the Standards of Learning objectives related to dating violence and the characteristics of abusive relationships to be taught at least once during middle school... More... WI Signed into law 02/2010 P-12 Human Growth and Development Instruction A.B. 458 The purpose of the statute on instruction in human growth and development instruction is to encourage all school boards to ensure that pupils in their districts are provided ageappropriate instruction in human growth and development. The Act provides that the ... More... IL Signed into law 08/2009 P-12 Teen Dating Violence H.B. 973 Allows the Comprehensive Health Education Program in grades 8-12 to include instruction on teen dating violence. http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/96/HB/PDF/09600HB0973lv.pdf... More... HI Veto overridden: legislature has overridden governor's veto 07/2009 P-12 Sex Ed S.B. 777 Requires sexuality health education programs funded by the state to provide medically accurate and factual information that includes education on abstinence, contraception and methods of disease prevention. Bill text: http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session2009/... More... NC Signed into law 06/2009 P-12 Reproductive Health and Safety Education H.B. 88 Removes the requirement that local school administrative units (LEAs) provide only abstinence until marriage education and requires LEAs to provide reproductive health and safety education in grades seven through nine; requires such education to include instru... More... TX Became law without governor's signature 06/2009 P-12 Parenting and Paternity Awareness Program S.B. 1219 At the district's discrection, authorizes a teacher of a mandated parenting and paternity awareness program in the high school health curriculum to modify the suggested sequence and pace of the program. http://www.legis.state.tx.us/tlodocs/81R/billtext/pdf/SB0... More... TX Became law without governor's signature 06/2009 P-12 Parenting Curricula H.B. 3076 Authorizes districts to use in the middle school or junior high curriculum the parenting and paternity awareness (p.a.p.a.) program that is mandated for use in the high school health curriculum (http://www.tahperd.org/HOME_PDFs/papa_overview_wcontact.pdf). Per... More... NH Signed into law 05/2009 P-12 Teen Dating Violence H.C.R. 7 This concurrent resolution urges the development of teen dating violence education policies in all schools in the state. http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/legislation/2009/HCR0007.html... More... NH Signed into law 05/2009 P-12 Commission on HIV S.B. 45 Extends by one year the reporting date for the commission to review New Hampshire's statutes on HIV education, prevention, and control. http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/legislation/2010/sb0045.html... More... OR Signed into law 05/2009 P-12 Sex Education H.B. 2509 Requires school districts to provide human sexuality education courses in all public elementary and secondary schools as part of health education curriculum; declares emergency, effective July 1, 2009. Chapter 213 http://www.leg.state.or.us/09reg/measures/hb25... More... WA Signed into law 04/2009 P-12 Sex Education S.B. 5629 Authorizes state agencies to apply for sexual health education funding for specified programs on abstinence, the prevention of sexually transmitted diseases, and the prevention of unintended pregnancies; provides for the offer of unintended pregnancy preventio... More... GA Adopted 03/2009 P-12 Grant Programs GAC 96-1-.01, .04, .05, .07 Establishes guidelines for the Juvenile Delinquency Prevention and Treatment grant program, the Abstinence Until Marriage grant program, the Juvenile Accountability Block Grant program, and the Caring Communities grant program. Juvenile Delinquency Prevention ... More... VT Signed into law 03/2009 P-12 Comprehensive Statewide Approach to Prevention of Child Sexual Abuse S.B. 13 Intended to implement the November 2008 Report of the Senate Committee on Judiciary's 34-Point Comprehensive Plan for Vermont's Sexual Abuse Response System. Puts an emphasis on prevention by implementing a comprehensive statewide approach to the prevention of... More... VA Signed into law 02/2009 P-12 Benefits of Marriage H.B. 1746 Adds the value and benefits of marriage for men, women, children, and communities to the list of topics to be covered in family life education curricula. http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?091+ful+HB1746ER... More... VA Signed into law 02/2009 P-12 Dissemination of Information on Family Life Education H.B. 1980 Requires school divisions to include a detailed statement in the summary already required by law to be issued to parents and guardians to assist them in understanding the family life education program implemented in the school division, if the curriculum of th... More... WA Adopted 09/2008 P-12 SEX EDUCATION WAC 392-410-140 Amends rules relating to sex education. Provides definition and requirements for providing sex education. http://apps.leg.wa.gov/wac/... More... LA Issued 07/2008 P-12 Abstinence Education Executive Order 22 (Executive Order No. BJ 08-21) Directs the Department of Health and Hospitals and the Governor's Program on Abstinence to promote abstinence education with parents or legal guardians and to develop an aggressive campaign targeting adolescents ages 13-19 and pa... More... NH Signed into law 06/2008 P-12 Health Curriculum S.B. 359 Updates the health education curriculum requirements to include instruction on the effects of alcohol and other drugs, child abuse, human immunodeficiency virus and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, and sexually transmitted diseases on the human system; requ... More... NH Signed into law 06/2008 P-12 Postsec. Community College HIV Education S.B. 395 Establishes a commission to review the state's statutes on human immunodeficiency virus education, prevention, and control. http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/legislation/2008/SB0395.html... More... CA Signed into law 10/2007 P-12 Sex education A.B. 629 Enacts the Sexual Health Education Accountability Act. Requires any program conducted by an outside agency at a publicly funded school, that provides education to prevent adolescent or unintended pregnancy or to prevent sexually transmitted infections and that... More... NC Signed into law 06/2007 P-12 Instruction in Lawful Abandonment of Newborn Baby H.B. 485 Requires local boards of education to ensure that students in grades nine through twelve receive annual health instruction including information about the manner in which a parent may lawfully abandon a newborn baby with a responsible person. http://www.ncga.s... More... LA Enrolled 06/2007 P-12 Evaluation of the Louisiana Governor's Program on Abstinence H.C.R. 200 Requests the department of health and hospitals to provide for an evaluation of the Louisiana Governor's Program on Abstinence by an external, independent entity. Provides that the evaluation must include information on curriculum content, the extent of partic... More... TN Eligible for GOVERNOR'S desk. 05/2007 P-12 Teaching Procedures re: "Safe Haven" Law S.B. 293, H.B. 0234 This bill requires that the course of instruction in all public schools in grades 9 through 12 include instruction regarding the procedure for voluntarily surrendering an infant in Tennessee. This bill requires the state board of education to develop guideline... More... CO Signed into law 05/2007 P-12 Science-based Sex Education H.B. 1292 Concerns the adoption of science-based content standards for instruction regarding human sexuality. The standards are intended to help reduce the incidence of sexually transmitted diseases, pregnancy, and abortion among teenagers, and for teen pregnancy preven... More... IA Signed into law 04/2007 P-12 Human Growth and Development Curriculum H.F. 611 Defines "age-appropriate" and "research-based." Directs the department of education to develop age-appropriate and research-based materials for districts about the dangers of sexual exploitation by means of the Internet, including specific strategies to help s... More... WA Signed into law 04/2007 P-12 Sexual Health Education S.B. 5297 By September 1, 2008, every public school that offers sexual health education must assure that it is medically and scientifically accurate; age appropriate; appropriate for students regardless of gender, race, disability status, or sexual orientation; and incl... More... UT Adopted 09/2006 P-12 Teenage Pregnancy Prevention Fund Distribution R277-474 Deletes language referring to Teenage Pregnancy Prevention Fund Distribution and Reporting Requirements, since districts have not received these funds for some years and no longer use or promote teenage pregnancy prevention programs with state or federal funds... More... IL Signed into law 06/2006 P-12 Abandoned Newborn Infant Protection Act S.B. 2455 Deletes provision that requires all sex education courses to advise pupils of the provisions of the Abandoned Newborn Infant Protection Act (325 ILCS 2/) and provide information about responsible parenting and the availability of confidential adoption services... More... GA Adopted 06/2006 P-12 Grant Programs GAC 96-1-.01, .02, .04, .05 Clarifies rules regarding grants for juvenile delinquency prevention and treatment, Title V prevention, abstinence education and juvenile accountability block grants. 96-1-.01 Juvenile Delinquency Prevention and Treatment: http://rules.sos.state.ga.us/docs/9... More... WI Signed into law 05/2006 P-12 Abstinence Education S.B. 286 Provides that, if a district provides instruction in human sexuality, reproduction, or family planning, it must ensure that all course materials and instruction do all of the following: 1. Present abstinence from sexual activity as the preferred choice of beha... More... TN Signed into law 05/2006 P-12 Evaluation of Sex Education Programs H.B. 3819 Concerns Education Curriculum; directs the comptroller's office of education accountability to evaluate the effectiveness of family life curricula in helping youth to abstain from sexual activities, prevent unwanted pregnancies and prevent sexually transmitted... More... WI Signed into law 04/2006 P-12 Instruction in Marriage and Parental Responsibility A.B. 309 Provides that if a school board provides instruction in the areas of human sexuality, reproduction, family planning, AIDS, prenatal development, childbirth, adoption, available prenatal and postnatal support, and male and female responsibility, the board must ... More... MA In HOUSE. Placed on the Orders of the Day. 03/2005 P-12 Abstinence Education Project Funds H.B. 44 Relates to the use of abstinence education project funds.... More... CA Signed into law 08/2004 P-12 Comprehensive Sexual Health and AIDS Prevention A.B. 1925 Requires, if instruction in comprehensive sexual health education and HIV/AIDS prevention will be taught by outside consultants, or if that instruction is to be given in an assembly by guest speakers, a school district to notify the parent or guardian of a pup... More... MI To governor 06/2004 P-12 Sex Education Instruction S.B. 943 Revises requirements for instruction in sex education; requires teaching abstinence relative to HIV/AIDS issues; requires emphasis on marriage when teaching about sexual intercourse; requires teaching that adoption is a positive option for teen mothers; requir... More... MI To governor 06/2004 P-12 Sex Instruction Penalties H.B. 5478 Revises penalties related to instruction in sex education and provides for complaint process. http://www.michiganlegislature.org/documents/2003-2004/publicact/pdf/2004-PA-0166.pdf... More... CO Signed into law 05/2004 P-12 Education and Human Sexuality H.B. 1375 Concerns limitations on education regarding manifestations of human sexuality. http://www.leg.state.co.us/clics2004a/csl.nsf/fsbillcont3/6B239FC2932F199287256E1A00062311?Open&file=1375_enr.pdf... More... VA Signed into law 05/2004 P-12 Family Life Education Program H.B. 1015 Relates to the Family Life Education Program in grades K through 12; provides additions to the curriculum include steps to take to avoid sexual assault, the availability of counseling and legal resources and, in the event of such sexual assault, the importance... More... NE Signed into law 03/2004 P-12 School Districts L.B. 172 Eliminates a requirement for school districts to provide abortion information.... More... MI Signed into law 08/2003 P-12 Required Content of Sex Education Courses H.B. 4401 (multiple provisions) Requires sex education instruction to include information clearly informing pupils that having sex or sexual contact with an individual under the age of 16 is a crime punishable by imprisonment, and that one of the other results of being convicted of this crim... More... IL Signed into law 07/2003 P-12 Sex Education H.B. 2298 Requires sex education materials and instruction to advise pupils of the provisions of the Abandoned Newborn Infant Protection Act, responsible parenting and the availability of confidential adoption services. http://www.legis.state.il.us/legislation/billstatu... More... CA Signed into law 09/2002 P-12 Educating Students about surrendering their child A.B. 2817 Requires sex education courses to advise pupils of specified provisions of law relating to parents and others who voluntarily surrender physical custody of a minor child 72 hours old or younger at a hospital emergency room or other designated location without ... More... ID Adopted 03/2002 P-12 Postsec. Character-Based Sex Education HCR 57 Stating findings of the Legislature and requesting that sexuality education in tax-supported public schools, universities and colleges shall promote moral development.... More... VA Signed into law 03/2002 P-12 Family Life Education H.B. 1206 Adds instruction in the benefits of adoption as the preferred choice in the event of an unwanted pregnancy to the family life education curriculum guidelines. In addition, the measure clarifies that the Board of Education, in establishing requirements for appr... More... CA Signed into law 09/2001 P-12 Teenage Pregnancy Prevention Program S.B. 1058 Reenacts and recasts provisions of law establishing a Teenage Pregnancy Prevention Program targeted at pupils in elementary and secondary schools and would make those provisions inoperative on July 1, 2003 and would repeal them as of January 1, 2004.... More... AZ Signed into law 04/2001 P-12 Sex Education/Sexual Conduct S.B. 1222 Requires school districts to integrate into existing sex education curricula; relates to sexual conduct with a minor for pupils in grades 7 through 12; allows school districts to develop their own curricula relating to the instruction of laws relating to sexua... More... UT Signed into law 03/2001 P-12 Sex Education S.B. 75 Provides that the State Board of Education shall approve instructional materials for use in health, physiology, hygiene, and prevention of communicable disease curricula that local school boards may choose to adopt; provides local schools with an option of usi... More... UT Vetoed 03/2000 P-12 Health/Sex Education H.B. 411 Relates to public schools; modifies the instruction requirements pertaining to community and personal health, physiology, personal hygiene, and the prevention of communicable disease curriculum taught in grades eight through 12; relates to abstinence education... More...