Us Congress House Bill HB5065

Us Congress 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 8/29/25
• Refer: 8/29/25

Caption

Preventing Sexual Abuse of K–12 Students Act of 2025

Impact

The proposed law will require each state receiving federal education funds to establish protocols for preventing sexual abuse, which includes developing codes of conduct that delineate acceptable relationships between school staff and students as well as among students themselves. Additionally, it obliges states to provide training for school personnel on these codes, reporting child abuse, and the requirements under Title IX, which governs gender discrimination in education. This legislation is positioned to strengthen efforts in fostering a secure learning environment for students and potentially reshape training and accountability standards in K-12 educational institutions.

Summary

House Bill 5065, referred to as the Preventing Sexual Abuse of K-12 Students Act of 2025, aims to amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to enhance protections for students against sexual abuse. The bill recognizes that children who are victims of sexual abuse may suffer from long-lasting psychological effects and highlights alarming statistics regarding the prevalence of sexual misconduct in schools. With the intent to create safer educational environments, the bill mandates that states develop comprehensive policies aimed at preventing sexual abuse among students and ensuring proper conduct by school personnel.

Contention

While the intent behind HB 5065 is broadly supported as a necessary step to protect students, there may be discussions regarding implementation and the allocation of resources for training. Some stakeholders may argue about the feasibility of requiring all states to adhere to such standards, particularly in terms of funding and administrative support. Furthermore, debates could arise over the effectiveness of training programs and whether they genuinely address the complexity of preventing sexual abuse in varying school environments. As some districts may already have measures in place, there could also be concerns regarding redundancy and bureaucratic overhead.