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HB 1431 - Education; include course in pre- vention of family viol/child abuse

Bunn, Barbara Jean (74th)	Felton, Dorothy (43rd)	Mobley, Barbara J (69th)
Roberts, Lawrence R (162nd)	Richardson, James G (26th)	Reece, Barbara Massey (11th)

Status Summary	HC:		SC:		FR:	/ /	LA:	/ /

First Reader Summary

A BILL to amend Part 2 of Article 6 of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to competencies and core curriculum in elementary and secondary education, so as to provide for legislative purpose; to provide that each local board of education may prescribe a course of study in family violence and child abuse prevention; and for other purposes.

Code Sections - 20-2-146

HB 1431                                            LC 27 0912 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                        A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 
                               AN ACT 
 
 
  1- 1  To amend Part 2 of Article 6 of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the 
  1- 2  Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to competencies 
  1- 3  and core curriculum in elementary and secondary education, 
  1- 4  so as to provide for legislative purpose; to provide that 
  1- 5  each local board of education may prescribe a course of 
  1- 6  study in family violence and child abuse prevention; to 
  1- 7  authorize such local boards to supplement and develop the 
  1- 8  exact approach of content areas of such minimum course of 
  1- 9  study; to provide that the State Board of Education may 
  1-10  prescribe a minimum course of study and may establish 
  1-11  standards for its administration; to provide for certain 
  1-12  topics of instruction; to repeal conflicting laws; and for 
  1-13  other purposes. 
 
  1-14       BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA: 
 
  1-15                           SECTION 1. 
 
  1-16  Part 2 of Article 6 of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official 
  1-17  Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to competencies and core 
  1-18  curriculum in elementary and secondary education, is amended 
  1-19  by adding at the end thereof a new Code Section 20-2-146 to 
  1-20  read as follows: 
 
  1-21    "20-2-146. 
 
  1-22    (a) The purpose of this Code section shall be to stem the 
  1-23    escalation of family violence and child abuse by providing 
  1-24    appropriate educational programs for children in this 
  1-25    state.  The General Assembly finds and declares that our 
  1-26    society must foster family units that provide loving, 
  1-27    nurturing environments for children and in which each 
  1-28    family member develops love and respect for every other 
  1-29    family member. 
 
  1-30    (b) Each local board of education may prescribe a course 
  1-31    of study in family violence and child abuse prevention for 
  1-32    students in grades six through 12 totaling not less than 
  1-33    one class hour per year per grade for the purpose of 
  1-34    informing the young people of this state of the 
 
 
                                 -1- 
 
 
 
  2- 1    destructive effects that family violence and child abuse 
  2- 2    have on our society.  Such course of study may implement 
  2- 3    either the minimum course of study provided for in 
  2- 4    subsection (c) of this Code section or its equivalent, as 
  2- 5    approved by the State Board of Education.  Each local 
  2- 6    board of education may supplement the content areas of 
  2- 7    such minimum course of study as it may deem appropriate. 
 
  2- 8    (c) The State Board of Education may prescribe a minimum 
  2- 9    course of study in family violence and child abuse 
  2-10    prevention and may establish standards for its 
  2-11    administration.  Such minimum course of study shall 
  2-12    include but not be limited to instruction relating to: 
 
  2-13      (1) Statistics on family violence and child abuse; 
 
  2-14      (2) Discernment of the differences between child abuse 
  2-15      and acceptable discipline; 
 
  2-16      (3) Recognition of the developmental stages in a child's 
  2-17      maturation, especially from birth to age five; 
 
  2-18      (4) Effects of parents' abuse of drugs and alcohol and 
  2-19      their importance as contributing factors in family 
  2-20      violence; 
 
  2-21      (5) Importance of stress management techniques to reduce 
  2-22      violent tendencies; 
 
  2-23      (6) Community resources that are available to victims of 
  2-24      family violence or child abuse; 
 
  2-25      (7) Individual responsibility for control of anger or 
  2-26      hostile reactions toward others; 
 
  2-27      (8) Importance of completing education before becoming a 
  2-28      parent; 
 
  2-29      (9) Skills in conflict resolution; 
 
  2-30      (10) Laws prohibiting stalking; and 
 
  2-31      (11) Criminal penalties for assault and battery and 
  2-32      child abuse offenses. 
 
  2-33    A manual setting out the details of such course of study 
  2-34    may be prepared by or approved by the State School 
  2-35    Superintendent in cooperation with the Department of Human 
  2-36    Resources, the State Board of Education, and such expert 
  2-37    advisers as the Superintendent may choose. 
 
  2-38    (d) The minimum course of study to be prescribed by the 
  2-39    State Board of Education pursuant to subsection (c) of 
 
 
                                 -2- 
 
 
 
  3- 1    this Code section may be ready for implementation not 
  3- 2    later than July 1, 2001.  Each local board of education 
  3- 3    may not later than July 1, 2001, implement such minimum 
  3- 4    course of study or its approved equivalent and certify 
  3- 5    such implementation by letter to the Department of 
  3- 6    Education." 
 
  3- 7                           SECTION 2. 
 
  3- 8  All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are 
  3- 9  repealed. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                 -3-