SENATE DOCKET, NO. 499        FILED ON: 1/19/2011

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1102

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Jennifer L. Flanagan

_________________

To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act promoting healthy behaviors.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Jennifer L. Flanagan

 

James B. Eldridge

 


SENATE DOCKET, NO. 499        FILED ON: 1/19/2011

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1102

By Ms. Flanagan, petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 1102) of Eldridge and Flanagan for legislation to promote healthy behaviors [Joint Committee on Public Health].

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the Year Two Thousand Eleven

_______________

 

An Act promoting healthy behaviors.

 

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

SECTION 1. Chapter 111 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 24J, the following section:-

Section 24K. The department shall establish a program of community based health and sexuality education services provided by comprehensive family planning agencies. Said program shall be designed to promote healthy behaviors among adolescents and parents or guardians by providing science based health information and education.

Community based health education staff shall promote healthy behaviors within the community by providing specialized education and outreach to targeted high risk populations, parents and guardians and to staff of community based agencies providing services to young people. Said specialized education and outreach program shall include efforts to reduce unintended pregnancy; promote abstinence in order to delay adolescent sexual activity; increase parental ability to communicate with their children about healthy sexuality; and reduce unhealthy risk taking behavior among all individuals.

For the purposes of the section, comprehensive family planning agencies shall be defined pursuant to section 24E of this chapter.