CHAPTER 251

SB 359 – FINAL VERSION

03/13/08 0946s

14May2008… 1664h

2008 SESSION

08-2118

04/01

SENATE BILL 359

AN ACT updating the health curriculum requirements for public school students and requiring the state board of education to provide for procedures through which students may be excused from course requirements relating to health and sex education on religious grounds without penalty.

SPONSORS: Sen. Foster, Dist 13; Sen. Sgambati, Dist 4; Rep. Rosenwald, Hills 22

COMMITTEE: Education

AMENDED ANALYSIS

This bill updates the health education curriculum to include instruction on the effects of alcohol and other drugs, child abuse, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), and sexually transmitted diseases on the human system. The bill also requires a school district to adopt a policy allowing an exception to a particular unit of health or sex education instruction based on religious objections, provided such policy includes a provision for alternative learning sufficient to enable the child to meet state requirements for health education.

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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.

Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]

Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

03/13/08 0946s

14May2008… 1664h

08-2118

04/01

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Eight

AN ACT updating the health curriculum requirements for public school students and requiring the state board of education to provide for procedures through which students may be excused from course requirements relating to health and sex education on religious grounds without penalty.

Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

251:1 Duties of State Board of Education. RSA 186:11, IX is repealed and reenacted to read as follows:

IX. INSTRUCTION AS TO CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION, YOUTH SUICIDE PREVENTION, INTOXICANTS, DRUGS, HIV/AIDS, AND SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASES.

(a) Direct the department to develop curriculum frameworks in health, physiology, and hygiene as they relate to the effects of alcohol and other drugs, child abuse, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), and sexually transmitted diseases on the human system, and which are designed to help students lead longer, healthier lives.

(b) Provide information about HIV/AIDS to all public and private schools to facilitate the delivery of appropriate courses and programs.

(c) Review HIV/AIDS curriculum materials to assure relevancy in assisting students to become health-literate citizens and lead longer, healthier lives.

(d) Provide information about youth suicide prevention to all public and private schools to facilitate the delivery of appropriate courses and programs.

251:2 State Board of Education; Coordinated School Health Committee. Amend the section heading and paragraph I of RSA 186:67-a to read as follows:

186:67-a [Health Education Review] Coordinated School Health Committee Established; Membership.

I. A coordinated school health committee is established to review state education policy relative to health education in public school grades K-12, and make recommendations to ensure awareness of the nationwide initiatives and current research. The board of education shall encourage the implementation of health education policy as described in RSA 186:11, IX [and IX-a] and give consideration to the committee’s recommendations. The committee shall also review the efforts of the New Hampshire Youth Suicide Prevention Advisory Assembly in developing a statewide comprehensive plan for youth suicide prevention.

251:3 School Boards; Studies. RSA 189:10 is repealed and reenacted to read as follows:

189:10 Studies. The school board shall ensure that health education and physical education are taught to pupils as part of the basic curriculum. The school board shall ensure that all studies prescribed by the state board of education are thoroughly taught, especially physiology, hygiene, and health and physical education as they relate to the effects of alcohol and other drugs, child abuse, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), and sexually transmitted diseases on the human system.

251:4 New Paragraph; State Board of Education; Duties. Amend RSA 186:11 by inserting after paragraph IX-a the following new paragraph:

IX-b. HEALTH AND SEX EDUCATION. Require school districts to adopt a policy allowing an exception to a particular unit of health or sex education instruction based on religious objections. Such policy shall include a provision for alternative learning sufficient to enable the child to meet state requirements for health education.

251:5 Repeal. RSA 186:11, IX-a, relative to AIDS educational material, is repealed.

251:6 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.

Approved: June 24, 2008

Effective Date: August 23, 2008