Bill > HB899

This bill requires that all state-funded health and sexuality education programs in Hawaii include detailed discussions and visual materials about fetal growth and development. Specifically, the bill mandates that these programs incorporate two key visual elements: a high-definition ultrasound video at least three minutes long showing the development of various organs during early fetal stages, and a computer-generated animation depicting the entire process of fertilization and human development inside the uterus, with detailed markers of cell and organ growth for each week of pregnancy. The legislation defines "human growth and development discussion" as any lesson about human biology related to pregnancy and development in the womb, and "sexuality health education" as instruction regarding human development, sexuality, pregnancy, family planning, and sexually transmitted diseases. The bill's purpose, as stated in its findings, is to provide students with a medically accurate understanding of fetal development to potentially reduce high-risk sexual behavior, aligning with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendations that sexual health education should be scientifically accurate and can help students make more informed choices about sexual activity. The bill is set to take effect on July 1, 2025, and requires the superintendent of education to ensure these new requirements are incorporated into Hawaii's health and sexual health education standards.

Education

https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=HB&billnumber=899&year=2026