S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________

                                 661--A

                       2013-2014 Regular Sessions

                          I N  A S S E M B L Y

                               (PREFILED)

                             January 9, 2013
                               ___________

Introduced  by  M.  of  A.  DINOWITZ, MARKEY, STEVENSON, MAISEL, HIKIND,
  GIBSON, SIMOTAS, COOK,  COLTON,  TITONE,  CASTRO,  ENGLEBRIGHT,  MOYA,
  ROBERTS  --  Multi-Sponsored  by  -- M. of A. ABBATE, ARROYO, BARCLAY,
  GRAF, ORTIZ, RAIA, SALADINO, TEDISCO -- read once and referred to  the
  Committee  on Education -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered
  reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee

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

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                           LBD03100-03-3
              

A. 661--A                           2

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
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  on  the  first  of  September  next
succeeding the date on which it shall have become a law.