Bill Text

Bill Information


Bill PDF |Add To My Favorites | print page

AB-2601 Pupil instruction: sexual health education: charter schools.(2017-2018)

SHARE THIS: share this bill in Facebook share this bill in Twitter
Date Published: 09/18/2018 09:00 PM
AB2601:v96#DOCUMENT

Assembly Bill No. 2601
CHAPTER 495

An act to amend Section 51931 of the Education Code, relating to pupil instruction.

[ Approved by Governor  September 18, 2018. Filed with Secretary of State  September 18, 2018. ]

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


AB 2601, Weber. Pupil instruction: sexual health education: charter schools.
(1) Existing law establishes a system of public elementary and secondary schools in this state and authorizes local educational agencies throughout the state to operate schools and provide instruction to pupils in kindergarten and grades 1 to 12, inclusive. Existing law, the Charter Schools Act of 1992, provides for the establishment and operation of charter schools, as provided.
Existing law, the California Healthy Youth Act, requires school districts, as defined, to ensure that all pupils in grades 7 to 12, inclusive, receive comprehensive sexual health education and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) prevention education, as specified.
This bill would also require, commencing with the 2019–20 school year, charter schools to ensure that all pupils in grades 7 to 12, inclusive, receive comprehensive sexual health education and HIV prevention education, as specified. By imposing additional requirements on charter schools, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
(2) The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.
This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.
Vote: MAJORITY   Appropriation: NO   Fiscal Committee: YES   Local Program: YES  

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:


SECTION 1.

 Section 51931 of the Education Code is amended to read:

51931.
 For the purposes of this chapter, the following definitions apply:
(a) “Age appropriate” refers to topics, messages, and teaching methods suitable to particular ages or age groups of children and adolescents, based on developing cognitive, emotional, and behavioral capacity typical for the age or age group.
(b) “Comprehensive sexual health education” means education regarding human development and sexuality, including education on pregnancy, contraception, and sexually transmitted infections.
(c) “English learner” means a pupil as described in subdivision (a) of Section 306.
(d) “HIV prevention education” means instruction on the nature of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and AIDS, methods of transmission, strategies to reduce the risk of HIV infection, and social and public health issues related to HIV and AIDS.
(e) “Instructors trained in the appropriate courses” means instructors with knowledge of the most recent medically accurate research on human sexuality, healthy relationships, pregnancy, and HIV and other sexually transmitted infections.
(f) “Medically accurate” means verified or supported by research conducted in compliance with scientific methods and published in peer-reviewed journals, where appropriate, and recognized as accurate and objective by professional organizations and agencies with expertise in the relevant field, such as the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the American Public Health Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.
(g) (1) “School district” includes county boards of education, county superintendents of schools, the California School for the Deaf, and the California School for the Blind.
(2) Commencing with the 2019–20 school year, “school district” also includes charter schools.

SEC. 2.

 If the Commission on State Mandates determines that this act contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement to local agencies and school districts for those costs shall be made pursuant to Part 7 (commencing with Section 17500) of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Government Code.