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AB-2229 California Healthy Youth Act: menstrual health education.(2023-2024)

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Date Published: 09/30/2024 09:00 PM
AB2229:v96#DOCUMENT

Assembly Bill No. 2229
CHAPTER 706

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

[ Approved by Governor  September 27, 2024. Filed with Secretary of State  September 27, 2024. ]

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


AB 2229, Wilson. California Healthy Youth Act: menstrual health education.
Existing law, the California Healthy Youth Act, requires school districts, defined to include county boards of education, county superintendents of schools, the California School for the Deaf, the California School for the Blind, and charter schools, 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. The act defines “comprehensive sexual health education” for these purposes to mean education regarding human development and sexuality, including education on pregnancy, contraception, and sexually transmitted infections.
This bill would additionally include in that definition of “comprehensive sexual health education” the topic of menstrual health. To the extent the bill would impose additional duties on local educational agencies, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
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.

 The Legislature hereby finds and recognizes the importance of instruction and materials that teach pupils about the menstrual cycle, premenstrual syndrome and pain management, menstrual hygiene management, menstrual disorders, menstrual irregularities, menopause, menstrual stigma, and any other relevant topics related to the menstrual cycle.

SEC. 2.

 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 menstrual health, 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. 3.

 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.