Wis. Assembly Panel Advances Sex Education Bill With Focus on Abstinence
January 20, 2012 — The Wisconsin Assembly's education committee on Wednesday passed a bill that would require that sex education programs in schools stress abstinence, WHBL reports. The bill passed on a party-line vote, with Republicans voting in favor of the measure (WHBL, 1/18).
The legislation would rewrite a law supported by Democrats that the state implemented two years ago. The law permits schools to teach about contraception as part of a multi-faceted approach to sex education.
Republicans said the bill emphasizes the role of local communities in choosing how to teach sex education. Antiabortion-rights groups also support the legislation. The state Senate approved the bill last year despite opposition from various public health groups (AP/Janesville Gazette, 1/19).
The full Assembly could vote on the bill as early as next week (WHBL, 1/18).
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Repro Health Watch — an exciting new edition of the Women’s Health Policy Report — compiles and distributes media coverage of proposed and enacted state laws and ballot initiatives affecting women's access to comprehensive reproductive health care, as well as litigation in response to those provisions.
