S1572-2011 Actions

• Jan 4, 2012: REFERRED TO EDUCATION
• Nov 18, 2011: PRINT NUMBER 1572A
• Nov 18, 2011: AMEND (T) AND RECOMMIT TO EDUCATION
• Jan 10, 2011: REFERRED TO EDUCATION

S1572-2011 Memo

BILL NUMBER:S1572

TITLE OF BILL:
An act
to amend the education law, in relation to enacting the Healthy Teens
Act which requires the commissioner to amend regulations to include
medically accurate, age appropriate sexual education in secondary
schools

PURPOSE:
Directs the commissioner to authorize age appropriate sexual
education including methods to prevent sexually transmitted disease
and pregnancy.

SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Creates a new subdivision 42 (a) of section 305
of education law to direct the commissioner to authorize age
appropriate sexual education including methods to prevent sexually
transmitted disease and pregnancy. Additionally, it adds subdivision
bin which the commissioner shall provide resources to school
districts in the form of suggested curriculum for the implementation
of these standards.

JUSTIFICATION:
According to statistics provided by The National Campaign to Prevent
Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy, in New York State there were 56,420
teenage pregnancies in 2000. Teen pregnancy is closely linked to a
host of other critical social issues - poverty and income, overall
child well-being, responsible fatherhood, health issues, education,
and child welfare. There are also substantial public costs associated
with adolescent childbearing.

In addition, according to the Center for Disease Control,
sexually-active adolescents 15 to 19 years age are at higher risk for
acquiring STDs for a combination of behavioral, biological, and
cultural reasons. Recent estimates suggest that while representing
25% of the ever sexually active population, 15 to 24 year-olds
acquire nearly half of all new STDs.

These statistics indicate a need for comprehensive sexual education in
all schools across the state. The establishment of the Healthy Teens
Act would aim to reduce the incidences of teen pregnancy and sexually
transmitted diseases through the establishment of age appropriate
sexual education.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
S.4633 of 2009-2010

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None.

EFFECTIVE DATE:
Immediately.

S1572-2011 Text

 S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 
 
                                         1572
 2011-2012 Regular Sessions
 I N  SENATE
 January 10, 2011
 
 Introduced  by  Sens. OPPENHEIMER, BRESLIN, KRUEGER, MONTGOMERY, PARKER,
 PERKINS -- read twice and ordered printed,  and  when  printed  to  be
 committed to the Committee on Education
 AN  ACT to amend the education law, in relation to requiring the commis
 sioner to amend regulations to include medically accurate, age  appro
 priate sexual education in secondary schools
 

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

 

Section 1. 

Section 305 of the education law is amended  by  adding  a
 new subdivision 42 to read as follows:

 42. A. THE COMMISSIONER IS AUTHORIZED AND DIRECTED TO ESTABLISH AND/OR
 PROVIDE  FOR  REGULATIONS TO INCLUDE MEDICALLY ACCURATE, AGE APPROPRIATE
 HUMAN SEXUAL EDUCATION, INCLUDING METHODS  FOR  PREVENTION  OF  SEXUALLY
 TRANSMITTED  DISEASE  AND  PREVENTION  OF  PREGNANCY. SUCH REGULATION OR
 REGULATIONS SHALL PROVIDE THAT NO PUPIL SHALL  BE  REQUIRED  TO  RECEIVE
 INSTRUCTION  IN  HUMAN SEXUALITY IF THE PARENT OR LEGAL GUARDIAN OF SUCH
 PUPIL HAS FILED WITH  THE  PRINCIPAL  OF  THE  SCHOOL  WHICH  THE  PUPIL
 ATTENDS,  A  WRITTEN  REQUEST  THAT  THE  PUPIL  NOT PARTICIPATE IN SUCH
 INSTRUCTION, WITH AN ASSURANCE THAT THE PUPIL WILL RECEIVE SUCH INSTRUC
 TION AT HOME.
 B. THE COMMISSIONER SHALL PROVIDE RESOURCES TO SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN THE
 FORM OF WRITTEN GUIDANCE AND/OR SUGGESTED CURRICULUM FOR THE IMPLEMENTA
 TION OF THE SEXUAL EDUCATION STANDARDS.
 

S 2. This act shall take effect immediately,  provided,  however  that
 any  regulations  shall be amended pursuant to the time table of the New
 York state learning standards review initiative regarding health,  phys
 ical education and family and consumer sciences.
 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
 [ ] is old law to be omitted.
 LBD05294-01-1

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