STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 7161 2021-2022 Regular Sessions IN ASSEMBLY April 23, 2021 ___________ Introduced by M. of A. RICHARDSON, CARROLL, ABINANTI, SIMON, DE LA ROSA, WALKER, PICHARDO, REYES -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. WALLACE -- read once and referred to the Committee on Education AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to mandating sex educa- tion in elementary and high schools The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. The education law is amended by adding a new section 817 to 2 read as follows: 3 § 817. Comprehensive sex education. 1. The commissioner, working in 4 consultation with the commissioners of health and mental health, shall 5 create and establish a comprehensive, medically accurate and age appro- 6 priate sex education curriculum which shall be taught in grades one 7 through twelve in all public and charter schools. Such curriculum shall 8 be ready for use within one year of the effective date of this section. 9 2. The chancellor of the New York city school system, or a board of 10 education may adopt their own curriculum upon approval of the commis- 11 sioner, provided, however, that the commissioner shall not approve any 12 curriculum which does not substantially comply with the curriculum 13 created pursuant to subdivision one of this section. 14 3. Schools shall begin teaching the curriculum established pursuant to 15 this section in the first school year following certification by the 16 commissioner that such curriculum has been established. 17 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately. EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [] is old law to be omitted. LBD05378-01-1