Signed by Governor Jared Polis

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that requires sex education to teach sexual consent.

Highlights:

• Requires that sex education cover the following, including, but not limited to (Sec. 2):

• Promotes youth understanding of sexuality as a natural part of human development and encourages communication with family and other trusted adults about related topics;

• Includes medically accurate information about preventive methods to avoid unintended pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections;

• Prohibits the endorsement of abstinence as the primary or solely acceptable preventive method available to students; and

• Promotes the development of healthy, safe relationships free of abuse through instruction on;

• The communication of consent and/or its withdrawal;

• The avoidance of unwanted advances;

• The avoidance of assumptions about sexual intentions based on appearance and sexual history; and

• The effects of alcohol and drug use on decision making, sexual health, and violent incidents.

• Specifies that sex education does not require instruction on pregnancy options (Sec. 2):

• Requires that if a public school does provide such instruction that it must cover all options, including but not limited to adoption, abortion, and parenting (Sec. 2).

• Prohibits sexual education from doing the following, including (Sec. 2):

• Endorsing religious ideology or sectarian tenets or doctrine;

• Using shame-based or stigmatizing language or instructional tools;

• Using gender norms or stereotypes; and

• Excluding the relational or sexual experiences of LGBT individuals.

• Requires that public schools provide parents and guardians with the following information, including (Sec. 2):

• Written notification on the ability to excuse a student, without penalty or additional assignment, upon written request; and

• An outline of the materials covered during sex education.

• Specifies that public schools that received federal money prior to July 1st, 2013, for the purpose of abstinence education are exempt from sex education standards during the years when that money was received and prohibits public schools from using federal money towards an abstinence program on and after July 1st, 2013 (Sec. 2).

• Exempts public school students in preschool through third grade unless material relates to personal hygiene, healthy habits, personal space, and other related issues (Sec. 2).

• Specifies that both parent and youth representatives are entitled to reimbursement for expenses incurred as a result of the duty, including dependent or attendant care (Sec. 5).

• Requires the establishment of an oversight entity by July 1st, 2019 and specifies that members shall consist of the following individuals, including (Sec. 5):

• The executive director of the Department of Public Health and Financing or their designee;

• The commissioner of education or their designee;

• The executive director of the Department of Human Services or their designee;

• A parent representative and a youth representative;

• A representative of school health centers or a school nurse;

• A representative of an organization serving the needs of youth of color;

• A representative of an organization serving the needs of immigrants;

• A representative of an organization serving the needs of LGBT youth; and

• A representative of an interfaith organization.

• Specifies that both parent and youth representatives are entitled to reimbursement for expenses incurred as a result of the duty, including dependent or attendant care (Sec. 5).

• Specifies that the entity will meet every academic year in order to assess  uses of available federal and state funding and Prohibits the entity from recommending abstinence as the sole preventive method (Sec. 5).

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that requires sex education to teach sexual consent.

Highlights:

• Requires that sex education cover the following, including, but not limited to (Sec. 2):

• Promotes youth understanding of sexuality as a natural part of human development and encourages communication with family and other trusted adults about related topics;

• Includes medically accurate information about preventive methods to avoid unintended pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections;

• Prohibits the endorsement of abstinence as the primary or solely acceptable preventive method available to students; and

• Promotes the development of healthy, safe relationships free of abuse through instruction on;

• The communication of consent and/or its withdrawal;

• The avoidance of unwanted advances;

• The avoidance of assumptions about sexual intentions based on appearance and sexual history; and

• The effects of alcohol and drug use on decision making, sexual health, and violent incidents.

• Specifies that sex education does not require instruction on pregnancy options (Sec. 2):

• Requires that if a public school does provide such instruction that it must cover all options, including but not limited to adoption, abortion, and parenting (Sec. 2).

• Prohibits sexual education from doing the following, including (Sec. 2):

• Endorsing religious ideology or sectarian tenets or doctrine;

• Using shame-based or stigmatizing language or instructional tools;

• Using gender norms or stereotypes; and

• Excluding the relational or sexual experiences of LGBT individuals.

• Requires that public schools provide parents and guardians with the following information, including (Sec. 2):

• Written notification on the ability to excuse a student, without penalty or additional assignment, upon written request; and

• An outline of the materials covered during sex education.

• Specifies that public schools that received federal money prior to July 1st, 2013, for the purpose of abstinence education are exempt from sex education standards during the years when that money was received and prohibits public schools from using federal money towards an abstinence program on and after July 1st, 2013 (Sec. 2).

• Exempts public school students in preschool through third grade unless material relates to personal hygiene, healthy habits, personal space, and other related issues (Sec. 2).

• Specifies that both parent and youth representatives are entitled to reimbursement for expenses incurred as a result of the duty, including dependent or attendant care (Sec. 5).

• Requires the establishment of an oversight entity by July 1st, 2019 and specifies that members shall consist of the following individuals, including (Sec. 5):

• The executive director of the Department of Public Health and Financing or their designee;

• The commissioner of education or their designee;

• The executive director of the Department of Human Services or their designee;

• A parent representative and a youth representative;

• A representative of school health centers or a school nurse;

• A representative of an organization serving the needs of youth of color;

• A representative of an organization serving the needs of immigrants;

• A representative of an organization serving the needs of LGBT youth; and

• A representative of an interfaith organization.

• Specifies that both parent and youth representatives are entitled to reimbursement for expenses incurred as a result of the duty, including dependent or attendant care (Sec. 5).

• Specifies that the entity will meet every academic year in order to assess  uses of available federal and state funding and Prohibits the entity from recommending abstinence as the sole preventive method (Sec. 5).

Full Bill Text