Bill > SB124

This bill mandates that beginning July 1, 2026, West Virginia public schools must provide age-appropriate safety information to students in grades K-12 at least once per academic year, with a preference for four times annually, and requires the state board to establish legislative rules for this instruction, which will include specific content for different grade levels, such as child sexual abuse prevention for grades 3-6 and dating violence and sexual violence prevention for grades 7-12, with provisions for parental opt-outs for personal safety instruction. Additionally, the bill requires the state board to develop rules for mandatory training for all public school employees upon hiring and every three years thereafter, focusing on recognizing and responding to child sexual abuse, including understanding offender dynamics, child-on-child scenarios, and trauma-informed care, with this training being a cumulative four hours and including skills renewal. Importantly, the bill clarifies that these requirements are voluntary for public charter schools and nonpublic schools.

Education

http://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Status/Bills_history.cfm?input=124&year=2026&sessiontype=RS&btype=bill