FOR CAUCUS & FLOOR ACTION

REVISED

ARIZONA STATE SENATE

RESEARCH STAFF

TRACEY LANDERS

ASSISTANT ANALYST

HEALTH COMMITTEE

Telephone: (602) 542-3171

Facsimile: (602) 542-7833

TO: MEMBERS OF THE SENATE

HEALTH COMMITTEE

DATE: April 18, 2002

SUBJECT: Strike Everything Amendment to H.B. 2249 (bond election pamphlets; calculations)

Purpose

Requires recipients of state money who provide information on sexually transmitted infections or sex education to provide accurate medical information in accordance with the American Medical Association (AMA) or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Background

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 AMA's work includes the development and promotion of standards in medical practice, research and education; advocacy agenda on behalf of patients and physicians; and the commitment to providing timely information on matters important to the health of America.

The strike-everything amendment to H.B. 2249 requires any recipient of state monies that provides information on sexually transmitted infections and sex education to provide medically accurate information in accordance with public health data and information provided by the AMA or the CDC.

According to Joint Legislative Budget Committee staff, there may be some costs to school districts related to this amendment; however, there is no anticipated cost to the state general fund because this legislation does not change the state formulary for education funding.

Provisions

1. Requires recipients of state monies who provide information on sexually transmitted infections or sex education to provide medically accurate information in accordance with current data provided by the AMA or the CDC.

2. Provides for a general effective date.

Amendments Adopted by Committee

· Adopted the strike everything amendment.

Senate Action

HEA 4/16/02 DPA 7-0-1

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