SB746: Bill Text

SB746,1,2 An Act to create 115.28 (44), 118.018 and 121.02 (1) (L) 1m. of the statutes; relating to: requiring sexual abuse prevention education.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

This bill requires the Department of Public Instruction to develop, by July 1, 2022, a child sexual abuse prevention policy and instructional program to be provided to pupils in grades kindergarten to six. DPI must include in the program an age-appropriate curriculum to provide pupils with the knowledge and tools to escape from a sexual abuse situation and communicate incidents of sexual abuse to trustworthy adults. Under the bill, beginning in the 2023-24 school year, each school board must provide a child sexual abuse prevention instructional program to pupils in grades kindergarten to six. Each school board must adopt and administer either DPI's program or its own child sexual abuse prevention instructional program.

For further information see the state and local fiscal estimate, which will be printed as an appendix to this bill.

The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:

SB746,1 Section 1 . 115.28 (44) of the statutes is created to read:

SB746,2,3 115.28 (44) Child sexual abuse prevention education; model policy and instructional program. (a) By July 1, 2022, develop, adopt, and make available to each school district a policy governing child sexual abuse prevention.

SB746,2,8 (b) By July 1, 2023, develop and make available to each school district an instructional program appropriate for pupils in kindergarten to grade 6 that includes the instruction required under s. 118.018 (2). The state superintendent shall incorporate the instructional program into its model health problems education curriculum.

SB746,2,11 (c) In developing the model policy under par. (a) and the instructional program under par. (b), consult with state and local experts in child sexual abuse prevention education, including the Wisconsin Coalition Against Sexual Assault, Inc.

SB746,2,16 (d) Develop, in consultation with the department of children and families and other state and local experts in child abuse prevention education, including the Wisconsin Coalition Against Sexual Assault, Inc., a parental involvement component to be incorporated into the child sexual abuse prevention instructional program.

SB746,2 Section 2 . 118.018 of the statutes is created to read:

SB746,2,24 118.018 Sexual abuse prevention education. (1) Beginning in the 2023-24 school year, each school board shall provide a child sexual abuse prevention instructional program to pupils in kindergarten to grade 6. The school board shall either adopt and administer the policy and instructional program under s. 115.28 (44) or, in consultation with state and local experts in child abuse prevention education, including the Wisconsin Coalition Against Sexual Assault, Inc., develop and administer its own child sexual abuse prevention instructional program.

SB746,3,2 (2) The school board shall include all of the following in the instructional program under sub. (1):

SB746,3,4 (a) Developmentally appropriate, culturally sensitive, and evidence-informed instruction for each grade level.

SB746,3,6 (b) An age-appropriate curriculum on child sexual abuse prevention that includes instruction on all of the following:

SB746,3,7 1. Age-appropriate facts about sexual abuse.

SB746,3,8 2. Anatomically correct terms for body parts.

SB746,3,9 3. How to say no and reject unwanted advances.

SB746,3,10 4. How to set and respect personal boundaries.

SB746,3,11 5. Differences between public and private parts of the body.

SB746,3,13 6. Autonomy over decision-making related to the body, empowerment, and developing assertiveness skills.

SB746,3,15 7. How to distinguish between safe and unsafe touch and between secrets and surprises.

SB746,3,16 8. How to identify trustworthy adults.

SB746,3,17 9. How to communicate incidents of sexual abuse to trustworthy adults.

SB746,3,20 (3) As part of the instructional program, the school board shall provide parents with facts and clear explanations related to child sexual abuse topics, including all of the following:

SB746,3,21 (a) Adverse childhood experiences and trauma.

SB746,3,22 (b) Adults' responsibility to prevent child sexual abuse.

SB746,3,24 (c) How to identify characteristics and behaviors of offenders, including the behavior known as grooming.

SB746,3,25 (d) Warning signs of child sexual abuse.

SB746,4,1 (e) How to discuss child sexual abuse prevention with children.

SB746,4,2 (f) How to report child sexual abuse.

SB746,4,4 (g) What makes children vulnerable to child sexual abuse and skills to reduce a child's vulnerability to sexual abuse.

SB746,4,5 (h) Promoting trauma-informed environments and responses.

SB746,3 Section 3 . 121.02 (1) (L) 1m. of the statutes is created to read:

SB746,4,10 121.02 (1) (L) 1m. Beginning in the 2023-24 school year, annually provide a child sexual abuse prevention instructional program for pupils in kindergarten to grade 6. The school board shall provide a sequential instructional program and shall provide at least one instructional session in each grade.

SB746,4,11 (End)