BILL NUMBER: S791

SPONSOR: MONTGOMERY
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the education law, in relation to mandating sex educa-
tion in elementary and high schools

 
PURPOSE:

To establish and implement a comprehensive, medically accurate and age
appropriate sex education curriculum in grades one through twelve in all
public and charter schools.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1 adds a new section 817 to the Education Law requiring the
Commissioner of Education to collaborate with the Commissioners of
Health and Mental Health to create an age comprehensive, medically accu-
rate and age-appropriate sex education curriculum for all grades and
requires that schools teach sex education. The section also grants local
              

boards of education or the Chancellor of the New York City School System
the option of adopting their own curriculum upon approval of the Commis-
sioner.

Section 2 establishes the enactment date.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

According to a U.S. Government report released in April 2007, absti-
nence-only sex education does not keep teenagers from having sex. The
independent study determined that the more than 2,000 teens who took
part in the programs as elementary and middle schools students were just
as likely to have sex as those who did not participate in them.

Similarly, a report of the National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy
found no credible evidence to support the claim that abstinence-only
programs delay the onset of sexual activity or reduce its frequency.
Rather, the report revealed that abstinence-only programs put teens in
harm's way of contracting sexually transmitted infections and HIV/AIDS,
and fail to provide information about contraceptive methods that could
prevent pregnancy.

A poll conducted by Zogby International reveal that 77 percent of New
York voters believe that comprehensive age appropriate, medically accu-
rate sex education should be taught in public schools. The State has a
responsibility to bring this instruction into the classroom to keep our
youth healthy and safe, and give them the tools they need to make heal-
thy lifestyle choices.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

2807-2008; Died in Committee
2009-2010; Referred to and died in the Senate Committee on Education.
2011-2012; S.71 -Died in Committee
2013: S.1291 - Died in Committee.
2014: S.1291 A Referred to Education Committee.

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
To be determined.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
The effective date is immediate.