SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1821        FILED ON: 1/16/2015

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 342

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Bruce E. Tarr

_________________

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 to provide child exploitation awareness education.

_______________

PETITION OF:

SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1821        FILED ON: 1/16/2015

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 342

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE SENATE, NO. 274 OF 2013-2014.]

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_______________

In the One Hundred and Eighty-Ninth General Court
(2015-2016)

_______________

An Act to provide child exploitation awareness education.

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 71 of the General Laws is hereby amended by adding after section 2 the following new section:

Section 2D.  The advisory council on violence prevention established by section 1G of chapter 15 of the General Laws shall recommend for approval by the board of education a model curriculum for grades two through eight, inclusive in Child Exploitation Awareness Education.   For the purposes of this section, the phrase “child exploitation” shall include child abduction or child sexual abuse.

1) School districts shall incorporate the content of child exploitation awareness education guidelines that is age appropriate into the existing health curriculum framework for students in second grade through eighth grade, inclusive.

2) 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.

3) In order to assist school districts, the advisory council, in consultation with at least one organization addressing child exploitation, shall develop model guidelines that school districts shall incorporate into an existing 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.             

4) 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 students is enrolled.

5) At the request of a parent or guardian, a student shall be excused from all or parts of the child exploitation awareness educational 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, after the parent or guardian has reviewed the instructional materials. 

6) The department shall require yearly certification and training to all educational staff and consultants using digital means, and or in a classroom setting.  Such training shall address child sexual assault, sex offender profile training, healthy sexual behavioral training, requirements of mandated reporters, and how to report.