Schools-Related Bills
ACTIVE Massachusetts House Bill 1059 This bill would repeal the state anti-bullying law. STATUS: This bill was introduced in the House on Jan. 20, 2011, and was referred to the Joint Committee on Education. The House issued a study order on Sept. 13, 2012. ACTIVE Massachusetts House Bill 1060 This bill would require any school program that involves “human sexual education, human sexuality issues or alternative sexual behavior” to be offered only in clearly identified nonmandatory elective courses or activities in which parents or guardians may choose to enroll their children through written notification to the school. Alternative sexual behavior is defined as “homosexuality, bisexuality, lesbianism, transsexuality, transgenderism, cross-dressing, pansexuality, promiscuity, sodomy, pederasty, prostitution, oral sex, anal sex, masturbation, polygamy, polyandry, sex reassignment treatments, ‘bondage and discipline.’ sadomasochism, bestiality, and similar behaviors. It also includes issues and relationships deriving from those behaviors, including but not limited to ‘sexual orientation,’ and alternative family, parenting, and marriage constructs.” STATUS: This bill was introduced in the House on Jan. 24, 2011 and was referred to the Joint Committee on Education. The House issued a study order on Sept. 6, 2012. ACTIVE Massachusetts House Bill 1063/ Senate Bill 190 These bills would require all sex education to be medically accurate, age appropriate, and appropriate for students regardless of gender, race, disability status, or sexual orientation. STATUS: HB 1063 was introduced in the House on Jan. 20, 2011, and SB 190 was introduced in the Senate on Jan. 21, 2011. They were referred to the Joint Committee on Education. The Senate issued a study order for both bills on May 8, 2012. ACTIVE Massachusetts House Bill 1934 This bill would require that curriculum on
“human sexual education, human sexuality issues, or sexual orientation” shall be offered only in clearly identified non-mandatory elective courses in which parents or guardians may choose to enroll their children through written notification to the school. STATUS: This bill was introduced in the House on Jan. 24, 2011, and was referred to the Joint Committee on Education. The House issued a study order on Sept. 6, 2012.
Schools-Related Bills ACTIVE
parents with notification of sex education in the schools with the opportunity to provide a written opt-out. STATUS: HB 179 was introduced in the House on Jan. 19, 2011, and was referred to the Joint Committee on Education. The House issued a study order on Sept. 6, 2012. SB 184 was introduced in the Senate on Jan. 21, 2011, and was referred to the Joint Committee on Education. The House issued a study order on Sept. 9, 2012.
ACTIVE Massachusetts House Bill 2715 This bill would require schools to adopt and implement a local policy that allows for a limited public forum and voluntary student expression of religious viewpoints at school events and graduation ceremonies, in class assignments, and in non-curricular school groups and activities. STATUS: This bill was introduced in the House on Jan. 21, 2011, and was referred to the Joint Committee on Education. The House issued a study order on Aug. 23, 2012. ACTIVE Massachusetts House Bill 4063 This bill would amend the existing safe schools law, in part, to require enumerated categories for protection, including sexual orientation and gender identity. STATUS: This bill was introduced on May 3, 2012, and passed the House Committee on Education the same day. It passed the House Committee on Ways and Means on July 30, 2012. ACTIVE Massachusetts House Bill 4284 This bill would modify the existing safe schools laws to require the development and implementation of a “safe and supportive schools framework.” STATUS: This bill was introduced on July 12, 2012. It passed the House Committee on Education on July 18, 2012, then was reassigned to the House Committee on Ways and Means. ACTIVE Massachusetts Senate Bill 259 This bill would, in part, require all sex education to be medically accurate and age appropriate. STATUS: This bill was introduced in the Senate on Jan. 21, 2011, and was referred to the Joint Committee on Education. The House issued a study order on Sept. 6, 2012. ACTIVE New Jersey Assembly Bill 2298 This bill would require a member of the state Board of Education to complete a two-day training program upon the member’s initial appointment
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