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STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________

8993

IN ASSEMBLY

January 12, 2012
___________

Introduced by M. of A. DINOWITZ -- read once and referred to the Commit-
  tee on Education

AN  ACT  to  amend  the  education  law,  in  relation to enacting "Erin
  Merryn's law"

  THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  Section  1.  Short  title. This act shall be known and may be cited as
"Erin Merryn's law".
  S 2. Legislative  findings  and  intent.  The  legislature  finds  and
declares  that child sexual abuse, estimated to affect up to one in four
girls and up to one in six boys, poses a grave threat to the health  and
safety of young people, and its damaging effects can last a lifetime.
  The  legislature  also  finds and declares that child sexual exploita-
tion, including the use of children in pornography and prostitution, and
child abduction pose a similar threat to the health and safety of  young
people,  and  put  child victims at grave risk of death or severe bodily
harm.
  The legislature also finds and declares that the  incidence  of  child
sexual  abuse,  child  sexual  exploitation  and  child abduction can be
reduced by raising awareness among young children of common dangers  and
warning  signs,  empowering  children  to better protect themselves from
sexual predators, and teaching children  how  to  obtain  any  necessary
assistance or services.
  It is hereby declared to be the public policy and in the public inter-
est  of  this  state  to establish a comprehensive program to provide an
age-appropriate course of instruction in the prevention of child  abduc-
tion, child sexual exploitation and child sexual abuse.
  S  3.  Section  803-a of the education law, as added by chapter 658 of
the laws of 1994, is amended to read as follows:
  S 803-a. Courses of study in  prevention  of  child  abduction,  CHILD
SEXUAL  EXPLOITATION  AND  CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE.   1. All pupils in grades
[K-8] KINDERGARTEN THROUGH EIGHT in all  public  schools  in  the  state
shall  receive  instruction designed to prevent the abduction, EXPLOITA-
TION OR SEXUAL ABUSE of children. Such instruction shall be provided  by

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                           LBD13693-02-2
A. 8993                             2

or under the direct supervision of regular classroom teachers, provided,
however,  that  such  instruction  may  be provided by any other agency,
public or private.
  2.  The  commissioner, shall provide technical assistance to assist in
the development of curricula for such courses of study  which  shall  be
age  appropriate  and  developed according to the needs and abilities of
pupils at successive grade levels in order to provide awareness  skills,
information,  self-confidence  and  support  to aid in the prevention of
child abduction, CHILD SEXUAL EXPLOITATION AND CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE.
  3. For purposes of developing such courses  of  study,  the  board  of
education or trustees of every school district may establish local advi-
sory  councils  or  utilize  the school-based shared decision making and
planning committee established pursuant to regulations  of  the  commis-
sioner to make recommendations concerning the content and implementation
of  such  courses. School districts may alternatively utilize courses of
instruction developed by consortia of school district, boards of cooper-
ative educational services, other school districts or any other  agency,
public  or  private. Such advisory councils shall consist of, but not be
limited to, parents, school  trustees  and  board  members,  appropriate
school  personnel,  business  and  community  representatives,  and  law
enforcement personnel having  experience  in  the  prevention  of  child
abduction, CHILD SEXUAL EXPLOITATION AND CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE.
  4.  The  board of education or trustees of every school district shall
provide appropriate training and curriculum materials  for  the  regular
teachers who provide such instruction.
  S  4.  This act shall take effect immediately, provided, however, that
the amendments to subdivision 1 of section 803-a of the  education  law,
made by section three of this act, shall take effect July 1, 2013.