THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

HOUSE BILL

INTRODUCED BY GINGRICH, FREEMAN, HARHART, HICKERNELL, KAUFFMAN, KOTIK, MANN, MILLARD, M. O'BRIEN, READSHAW, SONNEY, STEPHENS, TOOHIL, YOUNGBLOOD, CONKLIN, D. COSTA, BISHOP, FLECK, BAKER, EVERETT, M. K. KELLER, ROCK AND J. EVANS, APRIL 16, 2012

REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, APRIL 16, 2012  

AN ACT

Amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), entitled "An

act relating to the public school system, including certain

provisions applicable as well to private and parochial

schools; amending, revising, consolidating and changing the

laws relating thereto," in terms and courses of study,

providing for child exploitation awareness education.

The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

hereby enacts as follows:

Section 1.  The act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known

as the Public School Code of 1949, is amended by adding a

section to read:

Section 1553.1.  Child Exploitation Awareness Education.--(a)

School districts may incorporate child exploitation awareness

education that is age appropriate into the annual health

curriculum framework for students in kindergarten through eighth

grade. In developing such education, the school district shall

consult with at least one organization that addresses child

exploitation and serves the region where the school district is

located.

(b)  Child exploitation awareness education may include, but

need not be limited to, defining child exploitation, recognizing

types of child exploitation and creating awareness of warning

signs of child exploitation.

(c)  In order to assist school districts, the department,

through its Office for Safe Schools, in consultation with at

least one organization addressing child exploitation, shall

develop a model curriculum that school districts may incorporate

into an existing annual health curriculum. The department shall

also provide age-appropriate educational materials regarding

child exploitation awareness for the purpose of assisting school

districts in preparing an instructional program on child

exploitation awareness. The department may use educational

materials that are already publicly available for this purpose.

(d)  A parent or legal guardian of a participating student,

within a reasonable period of time after the request is made,

shall be permitted to examine the child exploitation awareness

education program instructional materials at the school in which

the student is enrolled.

(e)  At the request of a parent or guardian, a student shall

be excused from all or parts of the child exploitation awareness

education program. The principal shall notify all parents or

guardians of their ability to withdraw their children from

instruction in the program by returning a signed opt-out form.

(f)  For purposes of this section, the following words and

phrases shall have the meanings given to them in this subsection

unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:

"Child exploitation."  The term includes child abduction and

sexual abuse or exploitation.

"Sexual abuse or exploitation."  Any of the following:

(1)  The employment, use, persuasion, inducement, enticement

or coercion of a child to engage in or assist another individual

to engage in sexually explicit conduct.

(2)  The employment, use, persuasion, inducement, enticement

or coercion of a child to engage in or assist another individual

to engage in stimulation of sexually explicit conduct for the

purpose of producing visual depiction, including photographing,

videotaping, computer depicting and filming.

(3)  Any of the following offenses committed against a child:

(i)  Rape.

(ii)  Sexual assault.

(iii)  Involuntary deviate sexual intercourse.

(iv) Aggravated indecent assault.

(v)  Molestation.

(vi)  Incest.

(vii)  Indecent exposure.

(viii)  Prostitution.

(ix)  Sexual abuse.

(x)  Sexual exploitation.

Section 2.  This act shall take effect in 60 days.