MN SF273

School districts must offer responsible family life and sexuality education in grades 7-12 that is age-appropriate, medically accurate, includes an abstinence-first approach, and covers contraception and disease prevention.

Parents or guardians may excuse children from all or part of the program and must receive notice of curriculum materials, instruction providers, and their right to opt out before the program begins.

School districts must provide alternative instruction for students whose parents object to the content without imposing academic or other penalties.

The Commissioner of Health must conduct an assessment and submit recommendations to reduce statewide sexually transmitted infection rates significantly by 2014, including estimating annual healthcare costs for treated and untreated infections in ages 15-24.

$3,000,000 is appropriated for family planning special project grants and $1,300,000 is appropriated for detection and treatment of chlamydia and gonorrhea, plus community education on untreated infection consequences.