HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 934 FILED ON: 1/29/2021
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 615
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The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
Natalie M. Higgins and Jack Patrick Lewis
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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 empowering Massachusetts students to end sexual violence.
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PETITION OF:
Name: | District/Address: | Date Added: |
Natalie M. Higgins | 4th Worcester | 1/29/2021 |
Jack Patrick Lewis | 7th Middlesex | 1/29/2021 |
Carmine Lawrence Gentile | 13th Middlesex | 2/25/2021 |
Tram T. Nguyen | 18th Essex | 2/25/2021 |
Lindsay N. Sabadosa | 1st Hampshire | 2/25/2021 |
Tami L. Gouveia | 14th Middlesex | 2/26/2021 |
Antonio F. D. Cabral | 13th Bristol | 3/3/2021 |
James K. Hawkins | 2nd Bristol | 3/3/2021 |
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 934 FILED ON: 1/29/2021
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 615
By Representatives Higgins of Leominster and Lewis of Framingham, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 615) of Natalie M. Higgins, Jack Patrick Lewis and others for legislation to authorize a consent program to prevent and reduce the incidence of sexual assault. Education. |
[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 484 OF 2019-2020.]
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Second General Court
(2021-2022)
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An Act relative to empowering Massachusetts students to end sexual violence.
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. The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, in consultation with the Department of Public Health, must assist districts and charter schools in developing and implementing a consent program to prevent and reduce the incidence of sexual assault. Each district must have an evidence-based, multiple-session program that includes age-appropriate instruction on consent in grades K-12.
SECTION 2. "Consent" as used in this section means affirmative, conscious, and voluntary agreement to engage in sexual activity. It is a responsibility of each person involved in sexual activity to ensure that the other or others consent to engage in the sexual activity. Lack of protest or resistance does not mean consent. Consent must be ongoing throughout a sexual activity and can be revoked at any time. The existence of a dating relationship between the persons involved, or the fact of past sexual relations between them, should never by itself be assumed to be an indicator of consent.