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H.B. 363

             1     

HEALTH EDUCATION AMENDMENTS

             2     
2012 GENERAL SESSION

             3     
STATE OF UTAH

             4     
Chief Sponsor: Bill Wright

             5     
Senate Sponsor: Margaret Dayton

             6     
             7      LONG TITLE
             8      General Description:
             9          This bill modifies requirements for health instruction, including human sexuality
             10      instruction.
             11      Highlighted Provisions:
             12          This bill:
             13          .    permits a local school board or charter school governing board to provide human
             14      sexuality instruction or instructional programs in accordance with state law and
             15      State Board of Education rules;
             16          .    requires human sexuality instruction or instructional programs to teach and stress:
             17              .    the importance of abstinence from all sexual activity before marriage and
             18      fidelity after marriage as the only sure methods for preventing certain
             19      communicable diseases; and
             20              .    personal skills that encourage individual choice of abstinence and fidelity;
             21          .    imposes certain restrictions for human sexuality instructional programs;
             22          .    permits a local school board or charter school governing board to adopt abstinence
             23      only instructional materials recommended by:
             24              .    the State Board of Education; or
             25              .    the school district's or charter school's curriculum materials review committee;
             26      and
             27          .    makes technical changes.


             28      Money Appropriated in this Bill:
             29          None
             30      Other Special Clauses:
             31          None
             32      Utah Code Sections Affected:
             33      AMENDS:
             34          53A-13-101, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2004, Chapter 196
             35     
             36      Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
             37          Section 1. Section 53A-13-101 is amended to read:
             38           53A-13-101. Instruction in health -- Parental consent requirements -- Conduct
             39      and speech of school employees and volunteers -- Political and religious doctrine
             40      prohibited.
             41          (1) As used in this section:
             42          (a) "Abstinence only instructional materials" means instructional materials that teach
             43      and stress:
             44          (i) the importance of abstinence from all sexual activity before marriage and fidelity
             45      after marriage as the only sure methods for preventing certain communicable diseases; and
             46          (ii) personal skills that encourage individual choice of abstinence and fidelity.
             47          (b) "Human sexuality instruction or instructional program" means any course, unit,
             48      class, activity, or presentation that provides instruction or information to students about sexual
             49      abstinence, human reproduction, reproductive anatomy, reproductive physiology, marriage,
             50      childbirth, or parenthood.
             51          [(1) (a)] (2) The State Board of Education shall establish health curriculum
             52      requirements under Section 53A-1-402 , that include instruction in:
             53          [(i)] (a) community and personal health;
             54          [(ii)] (b) physiology;
             55          [(iii)] (c) personal hygiene; and
             56          [(iv)] (d) prevention of communicable disease.
             57          (3) (a) (i) A local school board or charter school governing board may, but is not
             58      required to, provide human sexuality instruction or instructional programs.


             59          (ii) If a local school board or a charter school governing board decides to provide
             60      human sexuality instruction or instructional programs, the human sexuality instruction or
             61      instructional programs shall be provided in accordance with this section and State Board of
             62      Education rules adopted under this section.
             63          (b) [(i) That instruction] Human sexuality instruction or instructional programs shall
             64      teach and stress:
             65          [(A)] (i) the importance of abstinence from all sexual activity before marriage and
             66      fidelity after marriage as the only sure methods for preventing certain communicable diseases;
             67      and
             68          [(B)] (ii) personal skills that encourage individual choice of abstinence and fidelity.
             69          (c) Human sexuality instruction or instructional programs may not include instruction
             70      in, the advocacy of, or the discussion of:
             71          (i) the intricacies of intercourse, sexual stimulation, or erotic behavior;
             72          (ii) homosexuality;
             73          (iii) contraceptive methods or devices; or
             74          (iv) sexual activity outside of marriage.
             75          [(ii) (A)] (d) (i) At no time may instruction be provided, including responses to
             76      spontaneous questions raised by students, regarding any means or methods that facilitate or
             77      encourage the violation of any state or federal criminal law by a minor or an adult.
             78          [(B) Subsection (1)(b) (ii)(A) does not preclude an]
             79          (ii) An instructor [from responding] may respond to a spontaneous question as long as
             80      the response is consistent with the provisions of this section.
             81          [(c) (i)] (e) (i) (A) The board shall recommend abstinence only instructional materials
             82      for use in [the curricula required under Subsection (1)(a)] human sexuality instruction or
             83      instructional programs after considering evaluations of abstinence only instructional materials
             84      by the State Instructional Materials Commission.
             85          (B) The board may not recommend instructional materials other than abstinence only
             86      instructional materials for use in human sexuality instruction or instructional programs.
             87          (ii) A local school board or charter school governing board may choose to adopt:
             88          (A) the abstinence only instructional materials recommended under Subsection [(1)(c)]
             89      (3)(e)(i); or


             90          (B) other abstinence only instructional materials as provided in state board rule.
             91          (iii) The state board rule made under Subsection [(1)(c)] (3)(e)(ii)(B) shall include, at a
             92      minimum:
             93          (A) that the abstinence only instructional materials adopted by a local school board or
             94      charter school governing board under Subsection [(1)(c)] (3)(e)(ii)(B) shall be based upon
             95      recommendations of the school district's or charter school's curriculum materials review
             96      committee that comply with [state law and state board rules emphasizing abstinence before
             97      marriage and fidelity after marriage, and prohibiting instruction in:] the requirements and
             98      restrictions applicable to human sexuality instruction or instructional programs specified in
             99      Subsections (3)(b) and (c);
             100          [(I) the intricacies of intercourse, sexual stimulation, or erotic behavior;]
             101          [(II) the advocacy of homosexuality;]
             102          [(III) the advocacy or encouragement of the use of contraceptive methods or devices;
             103      or]
             104          [(IV) the advocacy of sexual activity outside of marriage;]
             105          (B) that the adoption of abstinence only instructional materials shall take place in an
             106      open and regular meeting of the local school board or charter school governing board for which
             107      prior notice is given to parents and guardians of students attending schools in the district and an
             108      opportunity for them to express their views and opinions on the materials at the meeting;
             109          (C) provision for an appeal and review process of the local school board's or charter
             110      school governing board's decision; and
             111          (D) provision for a report by the local school board or charter school governing board
             112      to the State Board of Education of the action taken and the abstinence only instructional
             113      materials adopted by the local school board or charter school governing board under
             114      Subsections [(1)(c)] (3)(e)(ii)(B) and [(1)(c)] (3)(e)(iii).
             115          [(2)] (4) (a) Instruction in the courses described in Subsection [(1)] (2) shall be
             116      consistent and systematic in grades eight through 12.
             117          (b) At the request of the [board] State Board of Education, the Department of Health
             118      shall cooperate with the board in developing programs to provide instruction in those areas.
             119          [(3)] (5) (a) The [board] State Board of Education shall adopt rules that:
             120          (i) provide that the parental consent requirements of Sections 76-7-322 and 76-7-323


             121      are complied with; and
             122          (ii) require a student's parent or legal guardian to be notified in advance and have an
             123      opportunity to review the information for which parental consent is required under Sections
             124      76-7-322 and 76-7-323 .
             125          (b) The [board] State Board of Education shall also provide procedures for disciplinary
             126      action for violation of Section 76-7-322 or 76-7-323 .
             127          [(4)] (6) (a) In keeping with the requirements of Section 53A-13-109 , and because
             128      school employees and volunteers serve as examples to their students, school employees or
             129      volunteers acting in their official capacities may not support or encourage criminal conduct by
             130      students, teachers, or volunteers.
             131          (b) To ensure the effective performance of school personnel, the limitations described
             132      in Subsection [(4)] (6)(a) also apply to school employees or volunteers acting outside of their
             133      official capacities if:
             134          (i) they knew or should have known that their action could result in a material and
             135      substantial interference or disruption in the normal activities of the school; and
             136          (ii) that action does result in a material and substantial interference or disruption in the
             137      normal activities of the school.
             138          (c) Neither the State Office of Education [nor], local school districts, nor charter
             139      schools may provide training of school employees or volunteers that supports or encourages
             140      criminal conduct.
             141          (d) The State Board of Education shall adopt rules implementing this section.
             142          (e) Nothing in this section limits the ability or authority of the State Board of
             143      Education [and], local school boards, or charter school governing boards to enact and enforce
             144      rules or take actions that are otherwise lawful, regarding educators', employees', or volunteers'
             145      qualifications or behavior evidencing unfitness for duty.
             146          [(5)] (7) Except as provided in Section 53A-13-101.1 , political, atheistic, sectarian,
             147      religious, or denominational doctrine may not be taught in the public schools.
             148          [(6)] (8) (a) Local school boards, charter school governing boards, and their employees
             149      shall cooperate and share responsibility in carrying out the purposes of this chapter.
             150          (b) Each school district and charter school shall provide appropriate inservice training
             151      for its teachers, counselors, and school administrators to enable them to understand, protect,


             152      and properly instruct students in the values and character traits referred to in this section and
             153      Sections 53A-13-101.1 , 53A-13-101.2 , 53A-13-101.3 , 53A-13-109 , 53A-13-301 , and
             154      53A-13-302 and distribute appropriate written materials on the values, character traits, and
             155      conduct to each individual receiving the inservice training.
             156          (c) The written materials shall also be made available to classified employees, students,
             157      and parents and guardians of students.
             158          (d) In order to assist school districts in providing the inservice training required under
             159      Subsection [(6)] (8)(b), the State Board of Education [shall] may as appropriate, contract with a
             160      qualified individual or entity possessing expertise in the areas referred to in Subsection [(6)]
             161      (8)(b) to develop and disseminate model teacher inservice programs which districts may use to
             162      train the individuals referred to in Subsection [(6)] (8)(b) to effectively teach the values and
             163      qualities of character referenced in that subsection.
             164          (e) In accordance with the provisions of Subsection [(4)] (6)(c), inservice training may
             165      not support or encourage criminal conduct.
             166          [(7)] (9) If any one or more provision, subsection, sentence, clause, phrase, or word of
             167      this section, or the application thereof to any person or circumstance, is found to be
             168      unconstitutional, the balance of this section shall be given effect without the invalid provision,
             169      subsection, sentence, clause, phrase, or word.




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    as of 2-7-12 8:45 AM


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