Florida Senate - 2010                                     SB 642
       
       
       
       By Senator Smith
       
       
       
       
       29-00658-10                                            2010642__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to public K-12 education; amending s.
    3         1003.42, F.S.; providing that comprehensive health
    4         education taught in the public schools shall include a
    5         component on teen dating violence and abuse for
    6         students in grades 7 through 12; creating s. 1006.148,
    7         F.S.; requiring district school boards to adopt and
    8         implement a dating violence and abuse policy;
    9         providing policy requirements; requiring the
   10         Department of Education to develop a model policy;
   11         requiring school personnel training; providing an
   12         effective date.
   13  
   14  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   15  
   16         Section 1. Paragraph (n) of subsection (2) of section
   17  1003.42, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
   18         1003.42 Required instruction.—
   19         (2) Members of the instructional staff of the public
   20  schools, subject to the rules of the State Board of Education
   21  and the district school board, shall teach efficiently and
   22  faithfully, using the books and materials required that meet the
   23  highest standards for professionalism and historic accuracy,
   24  following the prescribed courses of study, and employing
   25  approved methods of instruction, the following:
   26         (n) Comprehensive health education that addresses concepts
   27  of community health; consumer health; environmental health;
   28  family life, including an awareness of the benefits of sexual
   29  abstinence as the expected standard and the consequences of
   30  teenage pregnancy; mental and emotional health; injury
   31  prevention and safety; nutrition; personal health; prevention
   32  and control of disease; and substance use and abuse. The health
   33  education curriculum for students in grades 7 through 12 shall
   34  include a teen dating violence and abuse component that
   35  includes, but is not limited to, the definition of dating
   36  violence and abuse, the warning signs of dating violence and
   37  abusive behavior, the characteristics of healthy relationships,
   38  measures to prevent and stop dating violence and abuse, and
   39  legal remedies and community resources available to victims of
   40  dating violence and abuse.
   41  
   42  The State Board of Education is encouraged to adopt standards
   43  and pursue assessment of the requirements of this subsection.
   44         Section 2. Section 1006.148, Florida Statutes, is created
   45  to read:
   46         1006.148 Dating violence and abuse prohibited.—
   47         (1) Each district school board shall adopt and implement a
   48  dating violence and abuse policy. The policy shall:
   49         (a) Prohibit dating violence and abuse by any student on
   50  school property, during a school-sponsored activity, or during
   51  school-sponsored transportation.
   52         (b) Provide procedures for responding to such incidents of
   53  dating violence or abuse, including accommodations for students
   54  experiencing dating violence or abuse.
   55         (c) Define dating violence and abuse and provide for a teen
   56  dating violence and abuse component in the health education
   57  curriculum, according to s. 1003.42(2)(n), with emphasis on
   58  prevention education.
   59         (d) Be implemented in a manner that is integrated with a
   60  school district’s discipline policies.
   61         (2) To assist district school boards in developing a policy
   62  prohibiting dating violence and abuse, the Department of
   63  Education shall develop a model policy.
   64         (3) Each district school board shall provide training for
   65  teachers, staff, and school administrators to implement this
   66  section.
   67         Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2010.