1.1 A bill for an act
1.2 relating to education; requiring physical and sexual abuse education;amending
1.3 Minnesota Statutes 2024, sections 120B.021, subdivision 1; 120B.234, subdivisions
1.4 1, 2.
1.5 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
1.6 Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 120B.021, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
1.7 Subdivision 1.Required academic standards. (a) The following subject areas are
1.8 required for statewide accountability:
1.9 (1) language arts;
1.10 (2) mathematics, encompassing algebra II, integrated mathematics III, or an equivalent
1.11 in high school, and to be prepared for the three credits of mathematics in grades 9 through
1.12 12, the grade 8 standards include completion of algebra;
1.13 (3) science, including earth and space science, life science, and the physical sciences,
1.14 including chemistry and physics;
1.15 (4) social studies, including history, geography, economics, and government and
1.16 citizenship that includes civics;
1.17 (5) physical education;
1.18 (6) health; and
1.19 (7) the arts. Public elementary and middle schools must offer at least three and require
1.20 at least two of the following five arts areas: dance; media arts; music; theater; and visual
2.1 arts. Public high schools must offer at least three and require at least one of the following
2.2 five arts areas: media arts; dance; music; theater; and visual arts.
2.3 (b) For purposes of applicable federal law, the academic standards for language arts,
2.4 mathematics, and science apply to all public school students, except the very few students
2.5 with extreme cognitive or physical impairments for whom an individualized education
2.6 program team has determined that the required academic standards are inappropriate. An
2.7 individualized education program team that makes this determination must establish
2.8 alternative standards.
2.9 (c) A school district may must include child physical and sexual abuse prevention
2.10 instruction in a health curriculum, consistent with paragraph (a), clause (6). Child physical
2.11 and sexual abuse prevention instruction may must include age-appropriate multisession,
2.12 multimodal, culturally inclusive, developmentally appropriate, and culturally sensitive
2.13 instruction on identifying emotional and physical child abuse and other forms of personal
2.14 violence, recognizing sexual abuse and assault, boundary violations, and ways offenders
2.15 groom or desensitize victims, as well as strategies to promote disclosure, reduce self-blame,
2.16 and mobilize bystanders. A school district may provide instruction under this paragraph in
2.17 a variety of ways, including at an annual assembly or classroom presentation. A school
2.18 district may also provide parents information on the warning signs of child physical and
2.19 sexual abuse, the medical and emotional effects of child abuse, and available resources. A
2.20 school district must train instructors on managing disclosures that may result during the
2.21 delivery of child physical and sexual abuse prevention instruction and develop a policy on
2.22 how to respond to the disclosures.
2.23 (d) District efforts to develop, implement, or improve instruction or curriculum as a
2.24 result of the provisions of this section must be consistent with sections 120B.10, 120B.11,
2.25 and 120B.20.
2.26 (e) Locally developed academic standards in health apply until statewide rules
2.27 implementing statewide health standards under subdivision 3 are required to be implemented
2.28 in the classroom.
2.29 EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective for the 2026-2027 school year and later.
2.30 Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 120B.234, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
2.31 Subdivision 1.Purpose. The purpose of this section, which may be cited as "Erin's
2.32 Law," is to encourage require districts to integrate or offer instruction on child sexual abuse
3.1 prevention to students and training to all school personnel on recognizing and preventing
3.2 sexual abuse and sexual violence.
3.3 EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective for the 2026-2027 school year and later.
3.4 Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 120B.234, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
3.5 Subd. 2.Curriculum. School districts may consult with other federal, state, or local
3.6 agencies and community-based organizations, including the Child Welfare Information
3.7 Gateway website maintained by the United States Department of Health and Human Services,
3.8 to identify research-based tools, curricula, and programs to prevent child sexual abuse for
3.9 use under section 120B.021, subdivision 1, paragraph (d).
3.10 EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective for the 2026-2027 school year and later.
