Senate Bill 59 Summary

• Creates the Office of Healthy Schools within the Department of Education to coordinate school health services and connect student health to academic achievement.

• Requires the state board of education to develop and adopt health education standards by December 31, 2009, modeled after national health education standards for grades K-12.

• Establishes comprehensive sexual health education requirements including age-appropriate instruction on abstinence, contraception, STI prevention, and consent, with parental notification and opt-out provisions.

• Requires health education standards and curriculum to be approved by concurrent resolution of both houses of the general assembly before adoption or revision by the state board.

• Modifies food sales standards on school premises to require boards of education to adopt nutritional guidelines, with the Office of Healthy Schools developing standards that districts shall follow.