Bill > H379

This bill, titled the Comprehensive Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Education Act of 2015, mandates that starting in the 2015-2016 school year, all school districts, charter schools, non-public schools, state-operated or licensed educational programs serving kindergarten through grade 12, and youth-serving organizations (both non-profit and for-profit) must provide annual training to their employees and volunteers on preventing, identifying, and reporting child sexual abuse. This training will cover recognizing concerning adult behaviors, responding to and preventing inappropriate behaviors among children, identifying victims of abuse, supporting healthy child development, implementing policies to prevent abuse (including staff training, screening, codes of conduct, and facility assessments), responding appropriately to disclosures of abuse while adhering to mandated reporting laws, and understanding available community resources. Additionally, beginning in the 2016-2017 school year, these entities must provide age-appropriate instruction to students on recognizing and reporting boundary-violating behaviors in adults and peers, developing healthy relationships, communicating concerns to trusted adults, and accessing resources for prevention and response. School boards, state agencies, and youth organization boards are required to use tested, research-based instructional materials and maintain records of training participation for at least three years, while also making information about these educational opportunities available to parents and the community.