Bill Text: TX HB3581 | 2013-2014 | 83rd Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to health education curriculum and instruction in public schools.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2013-03-20 - Referred to Public Education [HB3581 Detail]
Download: Texas-2013-HB3581-Introduced.html
83R12321 VOO-F | ||
By: Strama | H.B. No. 3581 |
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relating to health education curriculum and instruction in public | ||
schools. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. Section 28.004, Education Code, is amended by | ||
amending Subsections (e) and (i) and adding Subsection (n) to read | ||
as follows: | ||
(e) Any course materials and instruction relating to human | ||
sexuality, sexually transmitted infections [ |
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immunodeficiency virus or acquired immune deficiency syndrome | ||
shall be selected by the board of trustees with the advice of the | ||
local school health advisory council and must: | ||
(1) present abstinence from sexual activity as the | ||
preferred choice of behavior in relationship to all sexual activity | ||
for [ |
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(2) devote sufficient [ |
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from sexual activity to emphasize the importance of abstinence | ||
[ |
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(3) emphasize that abstinence from sexual activity, if | ||
used consistently and correctly, is the only method that is 100 | ||
percent effective in preventing pregnancy, sexually transmitted | ||
infections [ |
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virus, [ |
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distress that may be [ |
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activity that results in a sexually transmitted infection or an | ||
unintended pregnancy; | ||
(4) direct adolescents to a standard of behavior in | ||
which abstinence from sexual activity before marriage is the most | ||
effective way to prevent pregnancy, sexually transmitted | ||
infections [ |
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virus, and [ |
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(5) present age-appropriate information in accordance | ||
with national standards; | ||
(6) be evidence-based; | ||
(7) provide age-appropriate information about the | ||
effectiveness of methods approved by the United States Food and | ||
Drug Administration for reducing the risk of contracting sexually | ||
transmitted infections, including human immunodeficiency virus, | ||
and preventing unintended pregnancy; | ||
(8) promote healthy relationships and decision-making | ||
skills such as strategies: | ||
(A) to promote effective communication between | ||
adolescents and their parents and other family members or their | ||
legal guardians; | ||
(B) to develop healthy relationships; and | ||
(C) to develop healthy life skills, including | ||
goal-setting, responsible decision making, refusal and | ||
negotiation, and effective communication; and | ||
(9) for middle, junior high, and high school students, | ||
discuss the district's dating violence policy adopted under Section | ||
37.0831 [ |
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(i) Before each school year, a school district shall provide | ||
written notice to a parent of each student enrolled in the district | ||
of the board of trustees' decision regarding whether the district | ||
will provide human sexuality instruction to district students. If | ||
instruction will be provided, the notice must include: | ||
(1) a summary of the basic content of the district's | ||
human sexuality instruction to be provided to the student, | ||
including a statement informing the parent that the instruction is | ||
required by [ |
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(A) present abstinence from sexual activity as | ||
the preferred choice of behavior in relationship to all sexual | ||
activity for persons of school age; and | ||
(B) devote sufficient attention to abstinence | ||
from sexual activity to emphasize the importance of abstinence; | ||
(2) a statement of whether the instruction is | ||
considered by the district to be abstinence-only instruction or | ||
comprehensive instruction, including an explanation of the | ||
difference between those types of instruction and a specific | ||
statement regarding whether the student will receive information on | ||
contraception and condom use; | ||
(3) [ |
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(A) review curriculum materials as provided by | ||
Subsection (j); and | ||
(B) remove the student from any part of the | ||
district's human sexuality instruction without subjecting the | ||
student to any disciplinary action, academic penalty, or other | ||
sanction imposed by the district or the student's school; and | ||
(4) [ |
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for parental involvement in the development of the curriculum to be | ||
used in human sexuality instruction, including information | ||
regarding the local school health advisory council established | ||
under Subsection (a). | ||
(n) In this section: | ||
(1) "Abstinence-only instruction" means instruction | ||
that does not include information about preventing pregnancy, | ||
sexually transmitted infections, infection with human | ||
immunodeficiency virus, or acquired immune deficiency syndrome | ||
through any means other than total abstinence from sexual activity. | ||
(2) "Evidence-based" means information verified or | ||
supported by research that is: | ||
(A) conducted in compliance with accepted | ||
scientific methods; | ||
(B) published in peer-reviewed journals, if | ||
appropriate; | ||
(C) recognized as medically accurate, objective, | ||
and complete by mainstream professional organizations and agencies | ||
with expertise in the relevant field, including the federal Centers | ||
for Disease Control and Prevention and the United States Department | ||
of Health and Human Services; and | ||
(D) proven through rigorous, scientific | ||
evaluation to achieve positive outcomes on measures of sexual risk | ||
behavior or its health consequences. | ||
SECTION 2. (a) A school district that uses instructional | ||
materials that do not reflect the requirements prescribed by | ||
Section 28.004(e), Education Code, as amended by this Act, shall | ||
also use appropriate supplemental instructional materials as | ||
necessary to comply with those requirements. | ||
(b) A school district that permits a person not employed by | ||
the district to present one or more components of the district's | ||
human sexuality instruction must require the person to comply with | ||
the requirements prescribed by Section 28.004(e), Education Code, | ||
as amended by this Act. | ||
SECTION 3. This Act applies beginning with the 2013-2014 | ||
school year. | ||
SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives | ||
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as | ||
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this | ||
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this | ||
Act takes effect September 1, 2013. |