WEST virginia legislature

2023 regular session

Committee Substitute

for

Senate Bill 124

By Senators Woelfel and Plymale

[Originating in the Committee on Education; reported on January 17, 2023]

A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by adding thereto a new section, designated §18-2-7g, relating to requiring the West Virginia Board of Education to establish a program in dating violence prevention and sexual violence prevention that includes instruction in grades seven through 12; providing for the provision by the state board of links on its website to free curricula that covers the required instruction; providing in-service training for certain professional school personnel in the prevention dating violence and sexual violence; and providing for the promotion of positive youth development.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:

article 2. state board of education.

§18-2-7g. Program in dating violence prevention and sexual violence prevention.

The state board shall establish a program in dating violence prevention and sexual violence prevention that includes:

(a) In grades seven through 12, age-appropriate instruction in dating violence prevention and sexual violence prevention, which shall include instruction in recognizing dating violence warning signs and characteristics of healthy relationships. If the parent or legal guardian of a student submits to the principal of the student's school a written request to examine the dating violence prevention and sexual violence prevention instruction materials used at that school, the principal, within a reasonable period of time after the request is made, shall allow the parent or guardian to examine those materials at that school;

(b) The provision by the state board of links on its website to free curricula that covers the instruction required by this section in order to assist county boards in developing necessary curriculum; and

(c) The adoption by the state board of curriculum for a program of in-service training in the prevention of dating violence and sexual violence, and the promotion of positive youth development pursuant to the provisions of §18A-3-1 of this code.

(1) Any person employed by any county board to work with students in any of grades seven through 12 as a nurse, teacher, counselor, school psychologist, or administrator shall complete at least four hours of the in-service training in the prevention of dating violence and sexual violence, and the promotion of positive youth development, and shall complete the training every five years thereafter.

(2) The training completed under this subsection shall count toward the satisfaction of requirements for professional development required by the state board.