Proven Programs Act
Position: support
Status: The Legislature passed SB 5629, and the governor signed it into law.
The Healthy Youth Act, passed with ACLU support in 2007, requires Washington school districts that provide sex education to teach medically accurate information, including facts about contraception and sexually transmitted diseases. However, state law also requires the Department of Health to apply for federal Title V money, which can only be used to fund the teaching of medically inaccurate "abstinence-only" programs. The ACLU supports legislation that would permit the department to refuse federal funding for abstinence-only programs when such programs impede comprehensive sex education.
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