SLS 16RS-521 ORIGINAL
2016 Regular Session
SENATE BILL NO. 218
BY SENATOR BISHOP
STUDENTS. Authorizes the Department of Education and the Department of Health and
Hospitals to survey students regarding certain risk behavior associated with chronic health
conditions. (8/1/16)
1 AN ACT
2 To amend and reenact R.S. 17:281(A)(2), relative to student health; to authorize the
3 Department of Education and the Department of Health and Hospitals to survey
4 students about risk behavior associated with chronic health conditions; and to
5 provide for related matters.
6 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
7 Section 1. R.S. 17:281(A)(2) is hereby amended and reenacted to read as follows:
8 ยง281. Instruction in sex education
9 A. * * *
10 (2)(a) It is the intent of the legislature that, for the purposes of this Section,
11 "sex education" shall mean the dissemination of factual biological or pathological
12 information that is related to the human reproduction system and may include the
13 study of sexually transmitted disease, pregnancy, childbirth, puberty, menstruation,
14 and menopause, as well as the dissemination of factual information about parental
15 responsibilities under the child support laws of the state. It is the intent of the
16 legislature that "sex education" shall not include religious beliefs, practices in human
17 sexuality, nor the subjective moral and ethical judgments of the instructor or other
Page 1 of 2
Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions. SB NO. 218
SLS 16RS-521 ORIGINAL
1 persons. Students shall not be tested, quizzed, or surveyed about their personal or
2 family beliefs or practices in about sex, morality, or religion.
3 (b) Notwithstanding the provisions of Subparagraph (a) of this
4 Paragraph, the following may survey students about their risk behavior
5 associated with chronic health conditions, including those related to sexual
6 health:
7 (i) The Department of Education.
8 (ii) The Department of Health and Hospitals.
9 * * *
The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Ann S. Brown.
DIGEST
SB 218 Original 2016 Regular Session Bishop
Present law authorizes public schools to offer instruction in "sex education" provided that
such instructions is integrated into an existing course of study such as biology, science,
physical hygiene, or physical education.
Proposed law retains present law.
Present law prohibits testing, quizzing, or surveying students about their personal beliefs or
practices in sex, morality, or religion.
Proposed law creates an exception to present law by authorizing the Dept. of Education and
the Dept. of Health & Hospital to survey students about their risk behavior associated with
chronic health conditions, including those related to sexual health.
Effective August 1, 2016.
(Amends R.S. 17:281(A)(2))
Page 2 of 2
Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions.