ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Phoenix, Arizona
sex education; sexually
transmitted infections
Purpose
Requires school districts
with sex education curricula to provide instruction that is medically accurate
based on information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC).
Statute authorizes school districts to provide sex education (A.R.S. §15-711). Although statute allows school districts to develop their own course of study for each grade, the instruction must: (a) be appropriate for the grade level; (b) be medically accurate; (c) promote abstinence; (d) discourage drug abuse; and (e) dispel myths regarding the transmission of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) (A.R.S. §15-716). Although the sexual education information is required to be medically accurate, statute does not specify a scientific source that school districts should utilize.
The CDC provides research, policy development and support regarding
effective services for the prevention of sexually transmitted diseases and
associated complications such as enhanced HIV transmission, infertility,
adverse outcomes of pregnancy and reproductive tract cancer. The CDC assists and collaborates with health
departments, health care providers and public and private organizations with
the development, syntheses, translation and dissemination of timely,
science-based information; the development of national goals and science-based
policy; and the development and support of science-based programs that meet the
needs of communities.
S.B. 1157 requires existing sex education curricula to be medically accurate in accordance with data and information provided by the CDC. Additionally, this legislation requires sex education curricula to dispel myths regarding the transmission of sexually transmitted infections and eliminates the prohibition against including instruction regarding homosexuality.
According to Joint Legislative Budget Committee staff, school districts will have some fiscal impact; however, there is no discernable fiscal impact to the state general fund because this legislation does not change the state formulary for education funding.
Provisions
1. Requires school districts with sex education curricula to provide medically accurate instruction in accordance with data and information provided by the CDC.
2. Expands the authority of school districts to provide instruction on acquired immune deficiency syndrome and HIV to include other sexually transmitted diseases.
3. Expands the requirement of sex education curricula to dispel myths regarding the transmission of HIV to include instruction that also dispels myths regarding the transmission of sexually transmitted infections.
4. Repeals the prohibition against including instruction regarding homosexuality.
5. Requires each district course of study to provide medically accurate instruction on the associated risks of sexual activities and ways of reducing these risks.
6. Prohibits a course of study from promoting or discriminating between particular legal and consensual sexual activities.
7. Makes conforming and technical changes.
8. Provides for a general effective date.
Prepared by Senate Staff
February 1, 2002