1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
83rd OREGON LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY--2025 Regular Session
Senate Bill 918
Sponsored by Senator BONHAM
SUMMARY
The following summary is not prepared by the sponsors of the measure and is not a part of the body thereof subject
to consideration by the Legislative Assembly. It is an editor’s brief statement of the essential features of the
measure as introduced.The statement includes a measure digest written in compliance with applicable readability
standards.
Digest: Requires health classes to cover from conception to birth. (Flesch Readability Score:
66.1).
Requires course instruction provided as part of a health education curriculum to include infor-
mation about human development from conception to birth.
A BILL FOR AN ACT
Relating to health education curriculum; creating new provisions; and amending ORS 336.455.
Be It Enacted by the People of the State of Oregon:
SECTION 1. ORS 336.455 is amended to read:
336.455. (1) Each school district shall provide age-appropriate human sexuality education courses
in all public elementary and secondary schools as an integral part of the health education curric-
ulum.
(2) Course material and instruction for all human sexuality education courses shall enhance
students’ understanding of sexuality as a normal and healthy aspect of human development.Course
instruction shall:
(a) Be medically accurate.
(b) Be comprehensive.
(c) Include information about responsible sexual behaviors and hygienic practices that eliminate
or reduce the risks of pregnancy and the risks of exposure to human immunodeficiency virus,
hepatitis B, hepatitis C and other sexually transmitted infections. Information about those risks shall
be presented in a manner designed to allay fears concerning risks that are scientifically groundless.
(d) Promote abstinence for school-age youth and mutually monogamous relationships with an
uninfected partner for adults as the most effective way to prevent pregnancy and the transmission
of sexually transmitted infections. However, abstinence may not be taught to the exclusion of other
material and instruction on contraceptive and infection reduction measures. Human sexuality edu-
cation courses shall acknowledge the value of abstinence while not devaluing or ignoring those
students who have had or are having sexual intercourse.
(e) Include information about human development from conception to birth.
[(e)](f) Include a discussion about the characteristics of the emotional, physical and psycholog-
ical aspects of a healthy relationship and a discussion about the benefits of delaying pregnancy be-
yond the adolescent years as a means to better ensure a healthy future for parents and their
children. Students shall be provided with statistics based on the latest medical information regarding
both the health benefits and the possible side effects of all forms of contraceptives, including the
success and failure rates for prevention of pregnancy.
[(f)] (g) Stress that sexually transmitted infections are serious possible outcomes of sexual con-
NOTE:Matter in boldfaced type in an amended section is new; matter [italic and bracketed] is existing law to be omitted.
New sections are in boldfaced type.
LC 3940 SB918
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
tact. Students shall be provided with statistics based on the latest medical information regarding the
efficacy of all methods of sexual protection in preventing sexually transmitted infections, including
human immunodeficiency virus, hepatitis B and hepatitis C.
[(g)] (h) Provide students with information about Oregon laws that address young people’s rights
and responsibilities related to childbearing and parenting.
[(h)] (i) Advise students of the circumstances in which it is unlawful under ORS 163.435 and
163.445 for persons 18 years of age or older to have sexual relations with persons younger than 18
years of age to whom they are not married.
[(i)] (j) Teach students that no form of sexual expression is acceptable when the expression
physically or emotionally harms oneself or others and teach students not to make unwanted physical
and verbal sexual advances, how to decline unwanted sexual advances or accept the refusal of un-
wanted sexual advances.Students shall be taught that it is wrong to take advantage of or to exploit
another person. Materials and information shall be presented in a manner sensitive to the fact that
there are students who have experienced sexual abuse.
[(j)] (k) Validate through course material and instruction the importance of honesty with oneself
and others, respect for each person’s dignity and well-being, and responsibility for one’s actions.
[(k)] (L) Assist students in the development and practice of effective communication skills, the
development of self-esteem and the ability to resist peer pressure.
[(L)] (m) Encourage family communication and involvement to help students learn to make re-
sponsibledecisions.
(3) Any course in any public elementary and secondary school, the main purpose of which is to
address human sexuality education or sexually transmitted infections, including human
immunodeficiency virus, or both, must emphasize that abstinence from sexual contact is the only
method that is 100 percent effective against unintended pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections
and human immunodeficiency virus when transmitted sexually. Abstinence must be stressed, but not
to the exclusion of other material and instruction on contraceptive and infection reduction meas-
ures. Courses described in this subsection must acknowledge the value of abstinence while not de-
valuing or ignoring those students who have had or are having sexual intercourse.
(4) Nothing in this section prohibits instruction in sanitation, hygiene or traditional courses in
biology.
SECTION 2. The amendments to ORS 336.455 by section 1 of this 2025 Act apply to course
instruction provided beginning with the 2026-2027 school year.
[2]