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PROTECTIONS ON PARENTAL GUIDANCE IN PUBLIC

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SCHOOLS

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2015 GENERAL SESSION

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STATE OF UTAH

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Chief Sponsor: Brad L. Dee

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Senate Sponsor: J. Stuart Adams

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8     LONG TITLE
9     General Description:
10          This bill amends provisions related to human sexuality instruction in public schools.
11     Highlighted Provisions:
12          This bill:
13          ▸     requires a school to obtain prior written consent from a student's parent before the
14     school can provide human sexuality instruction to a student;
15          ▸     at a parent's choosing, requires a school to:
16               •     waive a student's human sexuality instruction requirements; or
17               •     provide a student with a reasonable alternative to the human sexuality
18     instruction requirement; and
19          ▸     provides that a student's academic or citizenship performance may not be penalized
20     if a parent chooses not to have a student participate in human sexuality instruction.
21     Money Appropriated in this Bill:
22          None
23     Other Special Clauses:
24          None
25     Utah Code Sections Affected:
26     AMENDS:
27          53A-13-101.2, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2007, Chapter 114
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29     Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
30          Section 1. Section 53A-13-101.2 is amended to read:
31          53A-13-101.2. Waivers of participation -- Required parental consent for human
32     sexuality instruction.
33          (1) As used in this section:
34          (a) (i) "Human sexuality instruction" means any course material, unit, class, lesson,
35     activity, or presentation that, as the focus of the discussion, provides instruction or information
36     to a student about:
37          (A) sexual abstinence;
38          (B) human sexuality;
39          (C) human reproduction;
40          (D) reproductive anatomy;
41          (E) physiology;
42          (F) pregnancy;
43          (G) marriage;
44          (H) childbirth;
45          (I) parenthood;
46          (J) contraception;
47          (K) HIV/AIDS; or
48          (L) sexually transmitted diseases.
49          (ii) "Human sexuality instruction" does not include child sexual abuse prevention
50     instruction described in Section 53A-13-112.
51          (b) "Parent" means a parent or legal guardian.
52          (c) "School" means a public school.
53          [(1)] (2) If a parent [with legal custody or other legal guardian] of a student, or a
54     secondary student, determines that the student's participation in a portion of the curriculum or
55     in an activity would require the student to affirm or deny a religious belief or right of
56     conscience, or engage or refrain from engaging in a practice forbidden or required in the
57     exercise of a religious right or right of conscience, the parent[, guardian,] or the secondary
58     student may request:
59          (a) a waiver of the requirement to participate; or
60          (b) a reasonable alternative that requires reasonably equivalent performance by the
61     student of the secular objectives of the curriculum or activity in question.
62          [(2)] (3) The school shall promptly notify a student's parent [or guardian] if the
63     secondary student makes a request under Subsection [(1)] (2).
64          [(3)] (4) If a request is made under Subsection [(1)] (2), the school shall:
65          (a) waive the participation requirement;
66          (b) provide a reasonable alternative to the requirement; or
67          (c) notify the requesting party that participation is required.
68          [(4)] (5) The school shall ensure that the provisions of Subsection 53A-13-101.3(3) are
69     met in connection with any required participation under Subsection [(3)] (4)(c).
70          (6) A school shall obtain prior written consent from a student's parent before the school
71     may provide human sexuality instruction to the student.
72          (7) If a student's parent chooses not to have the student participate in human sexuality
73     instruction, a school shall:
74          (a) waive the requirement for the student to participate in the human sexuality
75     instruction; or
76          (b) provide the student with a reasonable alternative to the human sexuality instruction
77     requirement.
78          (8) In cooperation with the student's teacher or school, a parent shall take responsibility
79     for the parent's student's human sexuality instruction if a school:
80          (a) waives the student's human sexuality instruction requirement in Subsection (7)(a);
81     or
82          (b) provides the student with a reasonable alternative to the human sexuality
83     instruction requirement described in Subsection (7)(b).
84          [(5)] (9) A student's academic or citizenship performance may not be penalized [by
85     school officials for the] if:
86          (a) the secondary student or the student's parent chooses to exercise [of] a religious
87     right or right of conscience in accordance with the provisions of this section[.]; or
88          (b) the student's parent chooses not to have the student participate in human sexuality
89     instruction as described in Subsection (7).