AB747: Bill Text

LRB-3219/2

TKK:jld&lmk:pg

2007 - 2008 LEGISLATURE

2007 Assembly BILL 747

February 4, 2008 - Introduced by Representatives Grigsby, Benedict, Berceau, Black, Boyle, Fields, Kessler, Parisi, Pocan, Pope-Roberts, Seidel, Sheridan, Sinicki, Soletski, Toles, Turner and Wasserman, cosponsored by Senators Taylor and Risser. Referred to Committee on Education Reform.

AB747,1,2 An Act to amend 118.019 (4); and to create 118.019 (3m) of the statutes; relating to: providing notice of abstinence-only education.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

This bill requires each school board that provides a program of abstinence-only education to notify each pupil's parent or guardian that the pupil is receiving abstinence-only education. Abstinence-only education is defined as an educational or motivational program which teaches pupils about the social, psychological, and health gains to be realized by abstaining from sexual activity, and teaches abstinence from sexual activity outside marriage as the expected standard for all school-age children. The notice must also state that abstinence-only education does not teach pupils how to prevent pregnancy or sexually transmitted diseases, other than by remaining abstinent, and that a pupil, at the request of his or her parent or guardian, may be excused from abstinence-only education. The bill also provides that a pupil excused from instruction in human growth and development or from instruction in abstinence-only education is not subject to discipline or academic penalty as a result.

The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:

AB747, s. 1 Section 1. 118.019 (3m) of the statutes is created to read:

AB747,2,3 118.019 (3m) Notice of abstinence-only education. (a) In this subsection, "abstinence-only education" has the meaning given for "abstinence education" in 42 USC 710 (b) (2).

AB747,2,7 (b) Each school board that provides a program of abstinence-only education shall, at the beginning of each school year, send a written notice to the parent or guardian of each pupil who is receiving abstinence-only education that contains all of the following statements:

AB747,2,8 1. The pupil is receiving abstinence-only education.

AB747,2,11 2. Abstinence-only education does not teach pupils how to prevent pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections, such as human immunodeficiency virus and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, other than by remaining abstinent.

AB747,2,13 3. At the written request of the parent or guardian, the school board will excuse the pupil from instruction in abstinence-only education.

AB747, s. 2 Section 2. 118.019 (4) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB747,2,19 118.019 (4) Exemption for individual pupils. No pupil may be required to take instruction in human growth and development or in the specific subjects under sub. (2) or (3m) if the pupil's parent files with the teacher or school principal a written request that the pupil be exempted. A pupil excused under this subsection is not subject to discipline or academic penalty.

AB747,2,20 (End)