PRINTER'S NO. 1427
No. 1146 Session of 2001
INTRODUCED BY GREENLEAF, KITCHEN, BOSCOLA AND TOMLINSON,
OCTOBER 12, 2001
REFERRED TO PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELFARE, OCTOBER 12, 2001
AN ACT
1 Amending the act of April 9, 1929 (P.L.177, No.175), entitled
2 "An act providing for and reorganizing the conduct of the
3 executive and administrative work of the Commonwealth by the
4 Executive Department thereof and the administrative
5 departments, boards, commissions, and officers thereof,
6 including the boards of trustees of State Normal Schools, or
7 Teachers Colleges; abolishing, creating, reorganizing or
8 authorizing the reorganization of certain administrative
9 departments, boards, and commissions; defining the powers and
10 duties of the Governor and other executive and administrative
11 officers, and of the several administrative departments,
12 boards, commissions, and officers; fixing the salaries of the
13 Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and certain other executive
14 and administrative officers; providing for the appointment of
15 certain administrative officers, and of all deputies and
16 other assistants and employes in certain departments, boards,
17 and commissions; and prescribing the manner in which the
18 number and compensation of the deputies and all other
19 assistants and employes of certain departments, boards and
20 commissions shall be determined," providing for a
21 comprehensive abstinence program.
22 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
23 hereby enacts as follows:
24 Section 1. The act of April 9, 1929 (P.L.177, No.175), known
25 as The Administrative Code of 1929, is amended by adding a
26 section to read:
27 Section 2126. Comprehensive Abstinence Program.--(a) The
1 Department of Health shall have the power, and its duty shall
2 be, to promote chastity education as part of a comprehensive
3 abstinence program for teenagers. In addition to chastity
4 education, the comprehensive abstinence program shall include
5 instruction about the advantages of abstinence from drugs and
6 alcohol. The department shall promote the presentation of
7 abstinence programs to teenagers through abstinence programs in
8 schools, youth centers and other forums. The department's
9 outreach activities shall focus on those groups which are most
10 likely to bear children out of wedlock. The abstinence programs
11 shall include meetings with parents to encourage discussion in
12 the home setting about abstinence.
13 (b) Chastity education, as part of the comprehensive
14 abstinence program, shall teach teenagers that:
15 (1) Abstaining from sexual activity is the only certain way
16 to avoid out-of-wedlock pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases
17 and the related emotional trauma.
18 (2) Chastity promotes sexual self-control, self-esteem and
19 self-respect, regardless of previous sexual behavior.
20 (3) Abstaining from sexual activity outside of marriage is
21 the expected standard for all school age children.
22 (4) Bearing children out of wedlock is likely to have
23 harmful consequences for the child, the child's parents and
24 society.
25 (5) The use of drugs and alcohol increases a person's
26 vulnerability to sexual advances and prevents good decision
27 making.
28 (c) The Department of Health may make grants to or contract
29 with nonprofit organizations to provide the abstinence programs.
30 In doing so, the department shall make use of any Federal or
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1 State funds available for the abstinence programs.
2 (d) The Department of Education shall cooperate with the
3 Department of Health by providing in-school faculty with teacher
4 training seminars and curriculum materials to assist in-school
5 faculty with providing the abstinence programs.
6 (e) The Department of Health shall promulgate any
7 regulations necessary to implement this section.
8 Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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