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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to health education curriculum and instruction in public |
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schools. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 28.004(e), Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(e) Any course materials and instruction relating to human |
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sexuality, sexually transmitted diseases, or human |
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immunodeficiency virus or acquired immune deficiency syndrome |
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shall be selected by the board of trustees with the advice of the |
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local school health advisory council and must: |
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(1) provide a clear understanding of abstinence from |
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sexual activity and engaging in sexual activity; |
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(2) include strategies to promote effective |
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communication between adolescents and their parents and family |
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members about human sexuality; |
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(3) present abstinence from sexual activity as the |
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preferred choice of behavior in relationship to all sexual activity |
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for unmarried persons of school age; |
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(4) [(2)] devote more attention to abstinence from |
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sexual activity than to any other behavior; |
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(5) for circumstances in which a student is unable to |
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abstain from sexual activity, analyze the benefits of a healthy and |
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monogamous sexual relationship and provide detailed information |
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about local agencies that provide relationship support and |
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counseling; |
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(6) [(3)] emphasize that abstinence from sexual |
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activity, if used consistently and correctly, is the only method |
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that is 100 percent effective in preventing pregnancy, sexually |
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transmitted diseases, infection with human immunodeficiency virus, |
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and [or] acquired immune deficiency syndrome, and is the preferred |
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method to prevent any [the] emotional trauma that may be associated |
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with adolescent sexual activity; |
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(7) [(4)] direct adolescents to a standard of behavior |
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in which abstinence from sexual activity before marriage is the |
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most effective way to prevent pregnancy, sexually transmitted |
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diseases, [and] infection with human immunodeficiency virus, and |
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[or] acquired immune deficiency syndrome; [and] |
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(8) for circumstances in which a student is unable to |
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abstain from sexual activity, provide detailed information on |
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testing for and preventing transmission of sexually transmitted |
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diseases; |
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(9) [(5)] teach contraception and condom use in a |
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medically accurate manner that addresses the health benefits of |
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contraception and condom use and the [terms of] human use reality |
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rates instead of theoretical laboratory rates, if instruction on |
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contraception and condoms is included in curriculum content; |
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(10) address the legal rights of victims of sexual |
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assault, including sexual abuse, and identify local agencies that |
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assist victims of sexual assault or that work to prevent sexual |
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assault; |
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(11) address the economic and emotional requirements |
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of fatherhood; and |
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(12) describe local services available to students who |
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are unable to abstain from sexual activity, including services for |
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adolescents who are pregnant or need postnatal medical care, child |
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care, or educational services. |
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SECTION 2. A school district that uses textbooks or other |
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course materials that do not reflect the requirements prescribed by |
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Section 28.004(e), Education Code, as amended by this Act, shall |
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also use appropriate supplemental instructional materials as |
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necessary to comply with those requirements. |
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SECTION 3. This Act applies beginning with the 2007-2008 |
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school year. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2007. |