HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 494 FILED ON: 1/11/2019
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 557
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The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
Elizabeth A. Poirier
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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 relative to instruction in pregnancy and prenatal care.
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PETITION OF:
Name: | District/Address: | Date Added: |
Elizabeth A. Poirier | 14th Bristol | 1/4/2019 |
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 494 FILED ON: 1/11/2019
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 557
By Mrs. Poirier of North Attleborough, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 557) of Elizabeth A. Poirier relative to the instruction of pregnancy and prenatal care in certain public schools. Education. |
[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 307 OF 2017-2018.]
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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In the One Hundred and Ninety-First General Court
(2019-2020)
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An Act relative to instruction in pregnancy and prenatal care.
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, as appearing in the 2016 Official Edition, is hereby amended by adding the following Section;-
Section 2D.
(a) In grades 7, 8 or 9 of all public schools, a program to educate students about the development of the child in utero, which informs students of the anatomical and physiological characteristics at increments of 4 weeks from fertilization to full term, consistent with those accepted by the National Institutes of Health, shall be taught as a required subject. Said program shall include visual images, including ultrasound images of fetal development at 8, 12, 18 and 24 weeks. Instruction will also include the basics of prenatal care for the purpose of preparing students for the responsibilities of future parenthood.
(b) Each school shall inform at least one parent or guardian of each student at least 1 week prior to the commencement of such unit of instruction that the parent or guardian has the right to remove the student from the classroom in which the unit of instruction is being presented.
(c) The program of instruction shall include provision for appropriate teacher training.
(d) Each school district and Commonwealth charter school shall file a report regarding Pregnancy and Prenatal Care Instruction with the department of elementary and secondary education, every year by a date and in a format determined by the board of elementary and secondary education. The report shall include, but not be limited to, the following data for each public school district: (1) description of content, (2) approximate number of hours of instruction, and (3) the number of students served.