2002 Legislation
Print Friendly

HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 57 – Character-based sex education

HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 57

View Daily Data Tracking History

View Bill Text

View Statement of Purpose / Fiscal Impact



Text to be added within a bill has been marked with Bold and
Underline. Text to be removed has been marked with
Strikethrough and Italic. How these codes are actually displayed will
vary based on the browser software you are using.

This sentence is marked with bold and underline to show added text.

This sentence is marked with strikethrough and italic, indicating
text to be removed.

Daily Data Tracking History



HCR057.........................................................by EDUCATION
CHARACTER-BASED SEX EDUCATION - Stating findings of the Legislature and
encouraging the promotion of moral development through character-based sex
education.
                                                                        
02/22    House intro - 1st rdg - to printing
02/25    Rpt prt - to Educ
02/27    Rpt out - rec d/p - to 2nd rdg
02/28    2nd rdg - to 3rd rdg
03/04    3rd rdg - ADOPTED - 57-0-13
      AYES -- Aikele, Barraclough, Barrett, Bedke, Bell, Bieter, Block,
      Boe, Bolz, Bradford, Bruneel, Callister, Campbell, Collins, Cuddy,
      Deal, Denney, Ellis, Eskridge, Field(13), Field(20), Gould, Hadley,
      Hammond, Harwood, Higgins, Hornbeck, Jaquet, Jones, Kellogg(Duncan),
      Kendell, Lake, Langford, Loertscher, Martinez, McKague, Meyer,
      Mortensen, Pearce, Pischner, Pomeroy, Raybould, Ridinger, Robison,
      Sali, Schaefer, Sellman, Shepherd, Smith(33), Smylie, Stevenson,
      Stone, Tilman, Trail, Wood, Young, Mr. Speaker
      NAYS -- None
      Absent and excused -- Black, Clark, Crow, Ellsworth, Gagner, Henbest,
      Kunz, Mader, Montgomery, Moyle, Roberts, Smith(23), Wheeler
    Floor Sponsors - Mortensen & Aikele
    Title apvd - to Senate
03/05    Senate intro - 1st rdg - to Educ
03/11    Rpt out - rec d/p - to 10th Ord
03/12    10th ord - ADOPTED - voice vote
    Title apvd - to House
03/12    To enrol
03/13    Rpt enrol - Sp signed
    Pres signed
03/14    To Secretary of State

Bill Text


                                                                        
                                                                        
  ||||              LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF IDAHO             ||||
 Fifty-sixth Legislature                  Second Regular Session - 2002
                                                                        
                                                                        
                              IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
                                                                        
                             HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 57
                                                                        
                                   BY EDUCATION COMMITTEE
                                                                        
  1                               A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
  2    PROMOTING MORAL DEVELOPMENT THROUGH SEX EDUCATION.
                                                                        
  3    Be It Resolved by the Legislature of the State of Idaho:
                                                                        
  4        WHEREAS, Idaho's Constitution charges the Legislature to "further all wise
  5    and well-directed efforts for the promotion of temperance and morality"; and
  6        WHEREAS, the primary responsibility for moral education rests in the home,
  7    but under Section 33-1608, Idaho Code,  schools  have  the  responsibility  to
  8    "complement and supplement" the standards established in the home; and
  9        WHEREAS, the specifics in this Resolution, relative to the year 2002, com-
 10    plement  and  supplement  the  general guidelines in teaching human sexuality,
 11    enacted in the year 1970, under Sections 33-1608 through 33-1611, Idaho Code.
 12        WHEREAS, the twin epidemics of sexually transmitted diseases  (STDs),  and
 13    nonmarital pregnancy cause enormous physical and emotional suffering, and cost
 14    many billions of dollars each year, as evidenced by the following:
 15    (a)  About  840,000  teens in America become pregnant each year. One-third end
 16    in abortion. Over three out of four teen births are out of wedlock;
 17    (b)  Seven out of ten adolescent mothers drop out of high school;
 18    (c)  Children in single family homes are twice as likely to drop out  of  high
 19    school, and 2.5 times more likely to become unwed parents;
 20    (d)  Over 80% of single mothers under 18 rely on welfare assistance;
 21    (e)  Each day an estimated 8,000 U.S. teens contract an STD infection;
 22    (f)  Of all Americans over 12, about 20% are infected with genital herpes;
 23    (g)  Today, there are over 20 significantly prevalent STDs. In the 1960s syph-
 24    ilis  and gonorrhea, both easily treated with penicillin, were the only impor-
 25    tant STDs;
 26    (h)  If a college student is sexually active, there is a 25%  likelihood  each
 27    year, of that person contracting an STD; and
 28        WHEREAS,  on July 20, 2001, the National Institute of Health reported that
 29    the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) causes over 95% of cervical  cancer  and  kills
 30    about 5,000 women every year in the U.S. (more than does AIDS), and that there
 31    does not appear to be any risk reduction for HPV with the use of condoms; and
 32        WHEREAS, "A sex education course in which issues of right and wrong do not
 33    occupy center stage is an evasion and irresponsibility."-William Bennett; and
 34        WHEREAS,  teens  will  take  up the abstinence message if given a rallying
 35    point relative to the greatest overall threat to their well-being.
 36        NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the members of the Second  Regular  Ses-
 37    sion  of  the  Fifty-sixth Idaho Legislature, the House of Representatives and
 38    the Senate concurring therein, that  sex  education  in  tax-supported  public
 39    schools, universities and colleges in Idaho shall promote moral development.
 40        BE  IT  FURTHER  RESOLVED that the Chief Clerk of the House of Representa-
 41    tives be, and she is hereby authorized and directed to facilitate distribution
 42    of this Resolution, and its Statement of Purpose, to  all  entities  concerned
 43    with tax-supported public schools, universities and colleges in Idaho.

Statement of Purpose / Fiscal Impact


                        STATEMENT OF PURPOSE
                          RS 12105C3
                               
	This Resolution will assist the Idaho Legislature in
meeting its Constitutional charge under Section 24, Article III
of the Idaho Constitution to: "further all wise and well-
directed efforts for the promotion of temperance and morality."
Also it will assist the Legislature in its Constitutional duty
under Article IX, Section I, "to establish and maintain a
thorough system of public schools". This Resolution deals with a
vital dimension of that "thorough system"
	Section 33-512 4., Idaho Code, states: "The Board of
Trustees for each school district shall have the powers and
duties to promote the morals and health of the pupils." One
simple, specific way local school board can meet this charge is
to request that their high school principals see that this
Resolution is included in an appropriate course of study. Also,
because: "The core problem facing our schools is a moral one.
All other problems derive from it." (Dr. William Kilpatrick,
Boston University, author of Why Johnny Can t Tell Right from
Wrong And What We Can Do About It).
	"This Resolution complements and supplements Idaho Code
Section 33-1608 through 33-1611, enacted in 1970: "evaluating
the psychological, social, emotional and physical implications
of human sexuality in developing and maintaining a responsible,
healthy lifestyle."
	The "enormous.. .emotional suffering" on line 13 of this
Resolution is almost an understatement when an adolescent and
their family face the reality of teen pregnancy or the life-
threatening diagnoses of HIV/AIDS, or one of over 20 other
current sexually transmitted diseases.
	As evidenced in this Resolution, the most effective
sexuality education is designed to promote moral development.

                         FISCAL IMPACT
                               
None. When we equip our teens to make better decisions for their
own health and that of others, we help reduce the enormous
health care costs associated with the twin epidemics of
adolescent pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases.


Contact
Name:  Representative Max Mortensen
Phone: 208-332-1000
Rep. Janet Aikele



STATEMENT OF PURPOSE/FISCAL NOTE               HCR 57