H 3330 Session 124 (2021-2022) Summary: Comprehensive health Education Act
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H 3330 General Bill, By J.Moore, Hosey, Brawley and King
TO AMEND SECTION 59-32-20, AS AMENDED, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO THE REQUIRED CYCLICAL REVIEW AND REVISION OF CERTAIN MENTAL, EMOTIONAL, AND SOCIAL HEALTH STANDARDS AND CONCEPTS REQUIRED UNDER THE COMPREHENSIVE HEALTH EDUCATION ACT, SO AS TO PROVIDE THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION SHALL CONTINUE TO MAKE INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS ALIGNED WITH SUCH STANDARDS AVAILABLE TO DISTRICTS BEFORE SEPTEMBER 1, 2022, AND TO PROVIDE SCHOOL DISTRICTS SHALL CONTINUE TO ADOPT OR DEVELOP RELATED CURRICULUM LOCALLY; AND TO AMEND SECTION 59-32-30, RELATING TO COURSEWORK REQUIREMENTS OF THE COMPREHENSIVE HEALTH EDUCATION ACT, SO AS TO REQUIRE MIDDLE SCHOOLS OFFER ONE ELECTIVE UNIT OF STUDY IN MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS TO SEVENTH GRADE STUDENTS AND TO PROVIDE NINTH GRADE STUDENTS SHALL SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETE ONE UNIT OF STUDY IN MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina: SECTION 1. Section 59-32-20(D) of the 1976 Code, as added by Act 170 of 2020, is amended to read: "At the next cyclical review of the health standards, the board shall continue to revise existing age-appropriate standards and concepts that address mental, emotional, and social health. Before September 1, 2022, in addition to the current standards, the board shall continue to make instructional materials aligned with such standards available to districts. Districts shall continue to adopt or develop related curriculum locally." SECTION 2. Section 59-32-30(A) of the 1976 Code is amended to read: "(A) Pursuant to guidelines developed by the board, each local school board shall implement the following program of instruction: (1) Beginning with the 1988-89 school year, for grades kindergarten through five, instruction in comprehensive health education must include the following subjects: community health, consumer health, environmental health, growth and development, nutritional health, personal health, prevention and control of diseases and disorders, safety and accident prevention, substance use and abuse, dental health, and mental and emotional health. Sexually transmitted diseases as defined in the annual Department of Health and Environmental Control List of Reportable Diseases are to be excluded from instruction on the prevention and control of diseases and disorders. At the discretion of the local board, age-appropriate instruction in reproductive health may be included. (2) Beginning with the 1988-1989 school year, for grades six through eight, instruction in comprehensive health must include the following subjects: community health, consumer health, environmental health, growth and development, nutritional health, personal health, prevention and control of diseases and disorders, safety and accident prevention, substance use and abuse, dental health, mental and emotional health, and reproductive health education. Sexually transmitted diseases are to be included as a part of instruction. At the discretion of the local board, instruction in family life education or pregnancy prevention education or both may be included, but instruction in these subjects may not include an explanation of the methods of contraception before the sixth grade. Beginning with the 2016-2017 school year, for grades six through eight, instruction in comprehensive health education also must include the subject of domestic violence. (3) Beginning with the 1989-90 school year, at least one time during the four years of grades nine through twelve, each student shall receive instruction in comprehensive health education, including at least seven hundred fifty minutes of reproductive health education and pregnancy prevention education. (4) Beginning with the 2022-2023 School Year, each: (a) seventh grade student must be offered one unit of instruction in mental health and wellness based on the instructional unit selected or adopted by the board in Section 59-32-20(D); and (b) ninth grade student shall receive and successfully complete a one-unit course of study in mental health and wellness based on the instructional unit selected or adopted by the board in Section 59-32-20(D). (5) The South Carolina Educational Television Commission shall work with the department in developing instructional programs and materials that may be available to the school districts. Films and other materials may be designed for the purpose of explaining bodily functions or the human reproductive process. These materials may not contain actual or simulated portrayals of sexual activities or sexual intercourse.
SECTION 3. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.
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