For supporters of a comprehensive sexual health education curriculum who have never found a receptive audience in the House, maybe the fourth time will be the charm.
The Senate on Thursday approved a bill (S 2534) requiring school districts that offer sex education to deploy medically accurate, age-appropriate programs. Similar versions of the bill cleared the Senate in 2015, 2017 and 2020, but died in the House, which this session is newly under the oversight of Speaker Ron Mariano, a former school teacher.
Senators voted 38-1 to advance the latest draft of the bill, which sponsor Sen. Sal DiDomenico said now features language that would ensure any discussion of consent, sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression uses terminology aligned with the LGBTQ Youth Commission’s recommendations.
“Ten years we have been working on this legislation, and this is the fourth time the Senate takes this up,” DiDomenico said on the Senate floor. “Enough is enough. It is time for us to pass this bill and get it signed into law.”
House leaders have not indicated whether they plan to bring the bill forward for a debate and a vote this session.
Thursday’s session did not feature the same pitched debate that the bill, which supporters dub the Healthy Youth Act, drew in the past. No senators spoke in opposition; Republican Sen. Ryan Fattman of Sutton cast the lone vote against the bill.
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