Bill Text: SC H3890 | 2021-2022 | 124th General Assembly | Introduced
Bill Title: Education: Revise Comprehensive Health Education Act 2021
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2021-02-16 - Referred to Committee on Education and Public Works [H3890 Detail]
Download: South_Carolina-2021-H3890-Introduced.html
A BILL
TO AMEND SECTION 59-32-10, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO DEFINITIONS IN THE COMPREHENSIVE HEALTH EDUCATION ACT, SO AS TO MAKE REVISIONS AND CONFORMING CHANGES; AND TO AMEND SECTION 59-32-20, RELATING TO INSTRUCTION REQUIRED IN THE COMPREHENSIVE HEALTH EDUCATION ACT, SO AS TO PROVIDE THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION SHALL REVISE SUCH REQUIREMENTS CONCERNING INSTRUCTION IN REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH EDUCATION, FAMILY LIFE EDUCATION, PREGNANCY PREVENTION EDUCATION, SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASES, AND SEXUAL ASSAULT AND ABUSE BEFORE AUGUST 1, 2022, AND TO PROVIDE REQUIREMENTS FOR THESE REVISIONS.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:
SECTION 1. Section 59-32-10(2) and (4) of the 1976 Code is amended to read:
"(2) 'Reproductive health education' means instruction in human physiology, conception, prenatal care and development, childbirth, and postnatal care, but does not include instruction concerning sexual practices outside marriage or practices unrelated to reproduction except within the context of the risk of disease. Abstinence and the risks associated with sexual activity outside of marriage must be strongly emphasized.
(4) 'Pregnancy prevention education' means instruction intended to:
(a) stress the importance of abstaining from sexual activity until marriage;
(b) help students develop skills to enable them to resist peer pressure and abstain from sexual activity;
(c) explain the barrier and hormonal methods of contraception and the risks and benefits of each method. Abortion must not be included as a method of birth control. Instruction explaining the methods of contraception must not be included in any education program for grades kindergarten through fifth. Contraceptive information must be given in the context of future family planning."
SECTION 2. Section 59-32-20 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:
"Section 59-32-20. (A) Before August 1, 1988, the board, through the department, shall select or develop an instructional unit with separate components addressing the subjects of reproductive health education, family life education, pregnancy prevention education, and sexually transmitted diseases and make the instructional unit available to local school districts. The board, through the department, also shall make available information about other programs developed by other states upon request of a local school district. Before August 1, 2021, the board shall revise these instructional units to remove any emphasis on abstinence and to ensure they specifically include nonjudgmental instruction on:
(1) barrier and hormonal contraception; and
(2) sexually transmitted diseases and sexually transmitted infections.
(B) In addition to the provisions of subsection (A), before September 1, 2015, the board, through the department, shall select or develop instructional units in sexual abuse and assault awareness and prevention, with separate units appropriate for each age level from four-year-old kindergarten through twelfth grade. Before August 1, 2022, the board shall revise these instructional units to ensure they specifically include:
(1) consent education aimed at both potential victims and potential perpetrators of sexual assault and abuse; and
(2) the recognition and prevention of sexual assault and abuse.
(C) Before August 1, 2018, and through the cyclical review process, if deemed necessary, the board shall include instruction on prescription opioid abuse prevention, with an emphasis on the prescription drug epidemic and the connection between opioid abuse and addiction to other drugs, such as heroin, in the health standards. In addition, the board shall make available to districts a list of instructional materials that meet state standards. Districts shall continue to adopt or develop curriculum locally.
(D) Before August 1, 2022, the board shall further revise the instructional units in subsections (A) and (B) to require subjects of instruction must be presented with a positive tone and to remove any divisive of fear-instilling content."
SECTION 3. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.
