SENATE DOCKET, NO. 16        FILED ON: 1/8/2021

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 322

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Diana DiZoglio

_________________

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 substance use education in public schools.

_______________

PETITION OF:

SENATE DOCKET, NO. 16        FILED ON: 1/8/2021

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 322

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE SENATE, NO. 272 OF 2019-2020.]

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_______________

In the One Hundred and Ninety-Second General Court
(2021-2022)

_______________

An Act relative to substance use education in public schools.

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

Chapter 71 of the General Laws is hereby amended by adding the following section:-

Section 95. The department of elementary and secondary education in coordination with the department of public health and the substance use advisory committee established in this section shall develop a model curriculum designed for the purpose of substance use and addiction prevention which shall align with the health curriculum framework and address the following topics: tobacco, alcohol, opiate and prescription drug diversion and use and other substance use and use prevention, conflict resolution, healthy coping behavior, student and community mental health resources and peer leadership.  The curriculum shall take into account the best practices and policies in other states. The adolescent substance use and addiction prevention curriculum shall be incorporated into the health curriculum in grades 4 to 12 for all students in the public schools.

The department of elementary and secondary education shall convene a substance use advisory committee to investigate and study the development and implementation process for reducing adolescent substance use for public school students.  The substance use advisory committee in formulating its recommendations, shall take into account the best practices and policies in other states.

The substance use advisory committee shall consist of 11 members: 2 of whom shall be national experts on adolescent substance use and addiction; 2 of whom shall be members of the student advisory council; 2 of whom shall be members of teens leading the way; 2 of whom shall be members of the governors youth council; 2 of whom shall be members of the legislature’s Joint Committee on Mental Health, Substance Use and Recovery; 2 of whom shall be members of the Joint Committee on Education; 1 of whom shall be a member of the Attorney General’s opiate use task force. The department shall create an evaluation assessing the curriculum and teaching materials before piloting this program.

SECTION 2.  The state shall fully fund all costs associated with the implementation of this act.

SECTION 3. The substance use advisory committee shall report to the general court the results of its investigation and study and any recommendations by filing the same with the clerks of the house of representatives and the senate who shall forward the same to the chairs of the joint committee on education and the chairs of the joint committee on education and the joint committee on mental health and substance use on or before January 1, 2022.

SECTION 4. The model curriculum established in SECTION 1 shall be developed on or before June 30, 2021.