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2007 Senate Bill 5297: Regarding providing medically and scientifically accurate sexual health education in schools.
Introduced by Sen. Mary Margaret Haugen, (D-Camano Island) (D) on January 16, 2007
To require schools to provide medically and scientifically accurate, age-appropriate sexual health education. Abstinence education must be included, but not at the exclusion of other materials and instructions on contraceptives and disease prevention. Education materials must be consistent with the January 2005 Guidelines for Sexual Health Information and Disease Prevention developed by the Department of Health and the Superintendent of Public Instruction. See companion HB 1297.   Official Text and Analysis.
Referred to the Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee on January 16, 2007
Substitute offered to the Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee on February 28, 2007
To make technical edits to the original bill.
The substitute passed by voice vote in the Senate on March 7, 2007
Referred to the Senate Rules Committee on February 28, 2007
Amendment offered by Sen. Jim Clements (R) on March 7, 2007
To add the following language, "including as a result of being excused from any planned instruction in sexual health education, shall," to the list of activities that would require a school employee or volunteer to report the incident to an appropriate school official.
The amendment failed 21 to 27 in the Senate on March 7, 2007.
    See Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No".
Amendment offered by Sen. Steve Hobbs (Lake Stevens) (D) on March 7, 2007
To add, on page 2, line 5 of the amendment, after "prevention." insert "A school may choose to use separate, outside speakers or prepared curriculum to teach different content areas or units within the comprehensive sexual health program as long as all speakers, curriculum, and materials used are in compliance with this section".
The amendment passed by voice vote in the Senate on March 7, 2007
Amendment offered by Sen. Janéa Holmquist Newbry (Moses Lake) (R) on March 7, 2007
To require parent notification.
The amendment failed 22 to 27 in the Senate on March 7, 2007.
    See Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No".
Amendment offered by Sen. Janéa Holmquist Newbry (Moses Lake) (R) on March 7, 2007
To provide a null and void clause.
The amendment failed 20 to 29 in the Senate on March 7, 2007.
    See Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No".
Amendment offered by Sen. Jim Kastama, (D-Puyallup) (D) on March 7, 2007
To allow sexual health education to be consistent with the January 2005 guidelines for sexual health information and disease prevention.
The amendment failed 21 to 27 in the Senate on March 7, 2007.
    See Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No".
Amendment offered by Sen. Cheryl Pflug, (R-Maple Valley) (R) on March 7, 2007
To limit what is considered 'statistically significant research'.
The amendment failed 20 to 29 in the Senate on March 7, 2007.
    See Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No".
Amendment offered by Sen. Marilyn Rasmussen, (D-Eatonville) (D) on March 7, 2007
To allow public schools that offer sexual health education to assure that it is medically and scientifically accurate, age appropriate, appropriate for students regardless of gender, race, disability statute, or sexual orientation, and include information about abstinence and other methods of preventing unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted disease. Abstinence education may be taught to the exclusion of other materials and instruction. Sexual health education should be as consistent as practicable with the guidelines for sexual health information and disease prevention.
The amendment failed 22 to 27 in the Senate on March 7, 2007.
    See Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No".
Amendment offered by Sen. Pam Roach (Auburn) (R) on March 7, 2007
To allow a teacher to opt-out from teaching the program in his or her classroom.
The amendment failed 19 to 29 in the Senate on March 7, 2007.
    See Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No".
Amendment offered by Sen. Joseph Zarelli, (R-Ridgefield) (R) on March 7, 2007
To require that every public school that offers comprehensive sexual health education shall offer both abstinence education and comprehensive sexual health programs.
The amendment failed 23 to 26 in the Senate on March 7, 2007.
    See Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No".
Amendment offered by Sen. Joseph Zarelli, (R-Ridgefield) (R) on March 7, 2007
To require information about abstinence or other materials and instruction on contraceptives and disease prevention.
The amendment failed 21 to 28 in the Senate on March 7, 2007.
    See Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No".
Amendment offered by Sen. Joseph Zarelli, (R-Ridgefield) (R) on March 7, 2007
To require that every public school that offers comprehensive sexual health education shall offer both abstinence education and comprehensive sexual health programs.
The amendment failed 22 to 27 in the Senate on March 7, 2007.
    See Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No".
Amendment offered by Sen. Mary Margaret Haugen, (D-Camano Island) (D) on March 7, 2007
To strike everything after the enacting clause and amend various sections of the original bill. The effect of the bill is the same.
The amendment passed by voice vote in the Senate on March 7, 2007
Received in the House on March 9, 2007
Referred to the House Health Care & Wellness Committee on March 9, 2007
Referred to the House Appropriations Committee on March 26, 2007
Referred to the House Rules Committee on March 30, 2007
Amendment offered by Rep. Bill Hinkle, (R-Cle Elum) (R) on April 11, 2007
To require sexual health education instruction to include information on contraceptive failure and incorrect usage rate for the contraceptive methods discussed.
The amendment failed 40 to 57 in the House on April 11, 2007.
    See Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No".
Amendment offered by Rep. Dan Newhouse, (R-Sunnyside) (R) on April 11, 2007
To create an exemption from the requirement for public schools to provide sexual health education that is consistent with the 2005 Guidelines if the local school board determines that providing such instruction would conflict with how certain values and character traits are learned, as determined through local consensus, including: honesty, integrity, respect for self and others, responsibility, self-discipline, diligence, respect for law and authority, healthy/positive behavior, and family as the basis of society.
The amendment failed 37 to 60 in the House on April 11, 2007.
    See Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No".
Amendment offered by Rep. Bob Sump, (R-Republic) (R) on April 11, 2007
To provide that parents and legal guardians may choose whether to have their child attend sexual health education. The amendment would also add that parents and legal guardians must be given a written notice within 30 days before the student receives sexual health education instruction, specifying the time and place of the instruction and instructions for signing and returning the notice if choosing to have the child attend the instruction or choosing to review the curriculum.
The amendment failed 40 to 57 in the House on April 11, 2007.
    See Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No".
Amendment offered by Rep. John Ahern, (R-Spokane) (R) on April 11, 2007
To require sexual health education instruction to include at least the same amount of time on abstinence as is spent on contraceptives and disease prevention.
The amendment failed by voice vote in the House on April 11, 2007
Amendment offered by Rep. John Ahern, (R-Spokane) (R) on April 11, 2007
To prohibits, in public school sexual health education, describing a practice as "safe sex" if it does not result in 100 percent protection from unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases.
The amendment failed by voice vote in the House on April 11, 2007
Amendment offered by Rep. John Ahern, (R-Spokane) (R) on April 11, 2007
To require the list of sexual health education curricula consistent with the 2005 Guidelines to be developed jointly by the Superintendent of Public Instruction (SPI) and the Department of Health (DOH), rather than by the SPI in consultation with the DOH. The amendment would also add a requirement that in developing, and annually reviewing and updating, the list, it must be done in public meetings, with opportunity for public comment.
The amendment failed by voice vote in the House on April 11, 2007
Amendment offered by Rep. John Ahern, (R-Spokane) (R) on April 11, 2007
To require homework assignments to be given that accurately reflect the information provided in the sexual health education class, and requires the homework to be completed with, and signed by, the parent or guardian and returned to the instructor.
The amendment failed by voice vote in the House on April 11, 2007
Amendment offered by Rep. Glenn Anderson, (R-Fall City) (R) on April 11, 2007
To require public schools offering sexual health education that have web sites to post the curriculum on the web site.
The amendment failed by voice vote in the House on April 11, 2007
Amendment offered by Rep. Glenn Anderson, (R-Fall City) (R) on April 11, 2007
To require any list, developed by the Superintendent of Public Instruction and the Department of Health, of sexual health education curricula that is consistent with the 2005 Guidelines to be approved by the State Board of Education before the list is posted on the agencies' web sites.
The amendment failed by voice vote in the House on April 11, 2007
Amendment offered by Rep. Glenn Anderson, (R-Fall City) (R) on April 11, 2007
To add that school districts with schools currently offering sexual health education that incur additional costs to comply with the bill's requirements, including purchasing curricula or paying for additional preparation or instruction time, will be reimbursed for the additional costs, subject to funds appropriated for that purpose.
The amendment failed by voice vote in the House on April 11, 2007
Amendment offered by Rep. Glenn Anderson, (R-Fall City) (R) on April 11, 2007
To add a contingent effective date, making the bill take effect on September 1 immediately following enactment of a state law that requires public school mathematics curricula to comply with guidelines established in state law by the Legislature.
The amendment failed by voice vote in the House on April 11, 2007
Amendment offered by Rep. Glenn Anderson, (R-Fall City) (R) on April 11, 2007
To require the Superintendent of Public Instruction and the Department of Health to update the 2005 Guidelines in 2010 and every five years thereafter, and requires the agencies to provide opportunity for public comment in the updating process.
The amendment failed by voice vote in the House on April 11, 2007
Amendment offered by Rep. Barbara Bailey (Oak Harbor) (R) on April 11, 2007
To Changes the name of the act from "Healthy Youth Act" to "Comprehensive Sexual Health Education Mandate".
The amendment failed by voice vote in the House on April 11, 2007
Amendment offered by Rep. Barbara Bailey (Oak Harbor) (R) on April 11, 2007
To require sexual health education instruction in grades through the sixth grade to be provided separately to girls and boys.
The amendment failed by voice vote in the House on April 11, 2007
Amendment offered by Rep. David Buri (R) on April 11, 2007
To delete provisions (1) requiring public schools that offer sexual health education to assure that the education is medically and scientifically accurate and consistent with the 2005 Guidelines, among other requirements, (2) encouraging schools to review their sexual health education and choose from curricula listed by the Superintendent of Public Instruction and the Department of Health as consistent with the 2005 Guidelines, (3) granting a statutory right to a parent or legal guardian to excuse his or her child from sexual health education instruction and granting the right to review the curriculum offered, (4) requiring the Superintendent to identify the sexual health education curricula used in schools and report this biennially to the Legislature, and (5) applying the school bullying law to the sexual health education provisions.
The amendment failed by voice vote in the House on April 11, 2007
Amendment offered by Rep. Richard Curtis (R) on April 11, 2007
To prohibit a public school from requiring teachers to provide instruction in sexual health education as a condition of employment unless the teacher was first hired after the bill's effective date to provide this instruction.
The amendment failed by voice vote in the House on April 11, 2007
Amendment offered by Rep. Jim Dunn, (R-Vancouver) (R) on April 11, 2007
To add that parents and legal guardians may also excuse their child from sexual health education instruction on the basis of a religious objection by filing a waiver with the school.
The amendment failed by voice vote in the House on April 11, 2007
Amendment offered by Rep. Larry Haler (Richland) (R) on April 11, 2007
To allow public schools offering sexual health education to choose separate, outside speakers to teach different content areas, as long as students are provided with medically and scientifically accurate comprehensive sexual health education on program completion (instead of allowing this approach to teaching if all speakers, curriculum, and materials comply with the bill's requirements).
The amendment failed by voice vote in the House on April 11, 2007
Amendment offered by Rep. Larry Haler (Richland) (R) on April 11, 2007
To add that sexual health education must be appropriate for students regardless of color, creed, or religion, as well as age, gender, race, disability status, or sexual orientation.
The amendment failed by voice vote in the House on April 11, 2007
Amendment offered by Rep. Bill Hinkle, (R-Cle Elum) (R) on April 11, 2007
To amend the definition of "medically and scientifically accurate" sexual health information to (1) add that the supporting research must be statistically significant and recognized as accurate by medical textbooks, as well as the other listed expert organizations, and (2) delete a requirement for supporting research to be published in peer-review journals and, from the list of expert organizations that recognize the research's accuracy, delete the Department of Health and the reference to other unnamed expert organizations.
The amendment failed by voice vote in the House on April 11, 2007
Amendment offered by Rep. Bill Hinkle, (R-Cle Elum) (R) on April 11, 2007
To add a requirement for the school to provide an alternative educational program for students who have been excused from sexual health education.
The amendment failed by voice vote in the House on April 11, 2007
Amendment offered by Rep. Bill Hinkle, (R-Cle Elum) (R) on April 11, 2007
To require a school board, during at least one school board meeting annually, to include an update and public input on the sexual health education being offered in any school in the district. Requires the curricula being used in the schools to be available at the meeting for public review.
The amendment failed by voice vote in the House on April 11, 2007
Amendment offered by Rep. Bill Hinkle, (R-Cle Elum) (R) on April 11, 2007
To add the sexual health education may not require students to respond to questions involving the student's values or beliefs.
The amendment failed by voice vote in the House on April 11, 2007
Amendment offered by Rep. Bill Hinkle, (R-Cle Elum) (R) on April 11, 2007
To delete the name of the act (the Healthy Youth Act).
The amendment failed by voice vote in the House on April 11, 2007
Amendment offered by Rep. Jim McCune, (R-Graham) (R) on April 11, 2007
To require the sexual health education program to emphasize that abstinence is the only medically and scientifically proven way to avoid pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases.
The amendment failed by voice vote in the House on April 11, 2007
Amendment offered by Rep. Joyce McDonald, (Puyallup) (R) on April 11, 2007
To provide that a parent or legal guardian choosing to have his or her child excused from sexual health education, or choosing to review the curriculum, may notify the child's school, rather than filing a written request with the school district or school principal. The amendment also adds that parents and legal guardians must be given a written notice within 30 days before the student receives the instruction and specifies the content of the notice, including the time and place of the instruction and information about how to notify the school if choosing to excuse the child or to review the curriculum.
The amendment failed by voice vote in the House on April 11, 2007
Amendment offered by Rep. Dan Roach, (R-Bonney Lake) (R) on April 11, 2007
To require public schools planning sexual health education instruction to provide, at the beginning of the school year, a form for parents and legal guardians to use to choose whether to excuse their child from instruction or to approve the child's attendance at the instruction.
The amendment failed by voice vote in the House on April 11, 2007
Amendment offered by Rep. Charles Ross, (Naches) (R) on April 11, 2007
To require public schools that offer sexual health education to have at least two parent nights annually to allow parents to view the curricula and materials (written, video, or audio) that will be used.
The amendment failed by voice vote in the House on April 11, 2007
Amendment offered by Rep. Charles Ross, (Naches) (R) on April 11, 2007
To specify that parents may review the written, video, or audio material that will be used in teaching the sexual health education curriculum (instead of generally allowing review of the curriculum).
The amendment failed by voice vote in the House on April 11, 2007
Amendment offered by Rep. Chris Strow (R) on April 11, 2007
To delete the provision allowing a parent or legal guardian to excuse his or her child from sexual health education, or to review the curriculum, by filing a written request, and replace the provision with a requirement for schools to conduct an evening or weekend presentation concerning the sexual health education curriculum used at least one month before beginning instruction and to give the parents and legal guardians notice of the presentation. The amendment would also prohibit students from being required to participate in the instruction if a parent or legal guardian objects, in writing, to the school's principal or designee.
The amendment failed by voice vote in the House on April 11, 2007
Amendment offered by Rep. Judy Warnick (Grant) (R) on April 11, 2007
To make it discretionary, rather than mandatory, for public schools that offer sexual health education to make the program consistent with the 2005 Guidelines for Sexual Health Information and Disease Prevention published by the Department of Health and the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction.
The amendment failed by voice vote in the House on April 11, 2007
Amendment offered by Rep. Judy Warnick (Grant) (R) on April 11, 2007
To define "abstinence" as abstaining from sexual activity until marriage, and require the use of this definition throughout the sexual health education program.
The amendment failed by voice vote in the House on April 11, 2007
Amendment offered by Rep. Judy Warnick (Grant) (R) on April 11, 2007
To specifie that a parent or legal guardian may excuse his or her child from part or all of the planned sexual health education instruction at a public school.
The amendment failed by voice vote in the House on April 11, 2007
Signed by Gov. Christine Gregoire on May 2, 2007