STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
6666--A
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
August 23, 2019
___________
Introduced by Sen. JACKSON -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
printed to be committed to the Committee on Rules -- recommitted to
the Committee on Education in accordance with Senate Rule 6, sec. 8 --
committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and
recommitted to said committee
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to instruction regarding
the prevention and reporting of sexual abuse and assault
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-
bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Section 803-b of the education law, as added by chapter 187
2 of the laws of 2019, is amended to read as follows:
3 § 803-b. Courses of study in prevention of child sexual exploitation
4 and child sexual abuse. 1. All pupils in grades [K-8] K-12 in all public
5 schools in the state shall receive instruction designed to prevent child
6 sexual exploitation and child sexual abuse. All public schools shall
7 include, as an integral part of health education, instruction concerning
8 the recognition, avoidance, refusal and reporting of incidences of sexu-
9 al abuse and assault. Such program shall be defined by the commissioner
10 in regulations after consultation with the department of health and be
11 designed to educate students, parents and school personnel about the
12 prevention of child sexual exploitation and child sexual abuse in grades
13 kindergarten through [eight] twelve. Such program shall include, but not
14 be limited to students and parents. Nothing in this section shall
15 prevent the department from making model curriculum and resource materi-
16 als available on the department's website.
17 2. Age appropriate instruction concerning the recognition, avoidance,
18 refusal and reporting of incidences of sexual abuse and assault included
19 in the health education provided to students at grades K-8 may be taught
20 by a regular classroom teacher or by a certified teacher holding a
21 certificate to teach health education. Instruction concerning the recog-
22 nition, avoidance, refusal and reporting of incidences of sexual abuse
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD00483-02-0
S. 6666--A 2
1 and assault included in the health education provided to students at
2 grades 9-12 shall be taught by teachers certified to teach health educa-
3 tion.
4 3. The commissioner may provide technical assistance to assist in the
5 development of curricula for such courses of study which shall be age
6 appropriate and developed according to the needs and abilities of pupils
7 at successive grade levels in order to provide awareness, skills, infor-
8 mation, self-confidence and support to aid in the prevention of child
9 sexual exploitation and child sexual abuse. The commissioner, in
10 consultation with the commissioner of health and child advocacy agen-
11 cies, including but not limited to the New York society for the
12 prevention of cruelty to children, shall be authorized to establish the
13 age appropriate curricula to be taught pursuant to subdivision two of
14 this section.
15 § 2. This act shall take effect on the first of July next succeeding
16 the date on which it shall have become a law, provided, however, that if
17 chapter 187 of the laws of 2019 shall not have taken effect on or before
18 such date then this act shall take effect on the same date and in the
19 same manner as such chapter of the laws of 2019 takes effect. Effective
20 immediately the commissioner of education is authorized to adopt any
21 rules or regulations necessary to implement the provisions of this act
22 on such effective date.