Oregon Gov. Signs Sex Education Bill; Tenn. Rep. Withdraws Bill To Give Parents Record Access

Main Category: Women's Health / Gynecology
Also Included In: Sexual Health / STDs;  Pediatrics / Children's Health
Article Date: 05 Jun 2009 - 5:00 PDT

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The following summarizes recent action on reproductive health-related legislation in two states.

~ Oregon: Gov. Ted Kulongoski (D) on Tuesday signed a measure (H.B. 2509) that requires school districts to provide students in all public elementary and secondary schools with medically accurate, age-appropriate sex education courses, KOHD.com reports. The law stipulates that schools emphasize the best way for students to prevent pregnancy and reduce the spread of sexually transmitted infections is to practice abstinence and that the best approach for adults is to engage in mutually monogamous relationships with partners without STIs. In addition, the law requires that students be given current, statistically based information about the efficacy of all methods of preventing STIs. The measure also requires that sex education courses include instruction on the benefits of delaying pregnancy until after adolescence, as well as information about the characteristics of an emotionally and physically healthy relationship. The law directs schools to provide students with information on state laws related to young people's rights and responsibilities with regard to childbearing and parenting (KOHD.com, 6/2).

~ Tennessee: State Rep. Tony Shipley (R) on Tuesday withdrew from consideration a bill (H.B. 1762) he sponsored that would have given parents full access to their children's medical records, the AP/Chattanooga Times Free Press reports. Under the measure, physicians would have been required to provide written results of any tests or procedures performed on minors upon request from their parents or guardians. The measure could have jeopardized about $6.5 million in federal family planning funding that is attached to privacy requirements, according to legislative analysts (AP/Chattanooga Times Free Press, 6/2).

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