AR HB1534

Arkansas recorded 4,089 births to teenage mothers in 2013, with 3,030 among women ages 18-19, establishing the public health need for prevention efforts in higher education settings.

The Arkansas Higher Education Coordinating Board must develop an action plan by November 3, 2015, in collaboration with all public university and community college presidents and chancellors to address unplanned pregnancy prevention among unmarried older teens.

The action plan shall incorporate pregnancy prevention information through student advising and orientation, integrate medically accurate information recognized by the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists into academic courses, and identify grant funding opportunities.

The plan must identify opportunities for current college students to mentor younger teens (K-12) on healthy choices, collaborate with the Department of Health or federally qualified health centers, and address specific challenges facing existing single parents including childcare, transportation, and financial aid.

The Arkansas Higher Education Coordinating Board shall report annually on the action plan's status to the chairs of the Senate and House Committees on Public Health, Welfare, and Labor, and the Senate and House Education Committees.