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2023 SESSION

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23102960D
HOUSE BILL NO. 1560 Offered January 11, 2023 Prefiled January 6, 2023 A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 22.1-23.4, relating to Department of Education; development of Title IX and sexual harassment prevention training modules for high school students. ---------- Patron-- Watts ---------- Referred to Committee on Education ----------

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That the Code of Virginia is amended by adding a section numbered 22.1-23.4 as follows:

§ 22.1-23.4. Title IX and sexual harassment prevention training; policies.

A. As used in this section:

"High school" includes grades nine through 12.

"Sexual harassment" has the same meaning as described in 34 C.F.R. § 106.30(a) and includes sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, stalking, and other gender or sex-based verbal or physical misconduct.

B. The Department shall develop, in collaboration with organizations that serve sexual harassment victims, culturally appropriate, age-appropriate, and trauma-informed Title IX and sexual harassment prevention training modules and shall make such training modules available to each school board for the education of high school students. Such training modules shall discuss:

1. Title IX (20 U.S.C. § 1681 et seq.) rights and protections;

2. The law and meaning of consent;

3. Prevention of sexual harassment; and

4. Reporting of sexual harassment.

C. The Department shall revise the Title IX and sexual harassment prevention training modules developed pursuant to subsection B and make such revised modules available to each school board no later than December 31 of each year to ensure that the such training modules conform to the standards pursuant to subsection B and comply with applicable state and federal law.

D. Each school board shall adopt policies to require all high school students to complete the sexual harassment modules developed by the Department pursuant to subsection B within 31 days of the start of each school year. Each school board shall also:

1. Set aside instructional time during school hours for all high school students to complete such training modules developed pursuant to subsection B;

2. Allow all high school students to opt-out of participating in the completion of such training modules by request of the student's parents if such student is under the age of 18, or by request of the student if such student is 18 years of age or older; and

3. Ensure all high school students are aware of any school counseling services available to them before such students begin the training modules developed pursuant to subsection B.

2. That the Department of Education shall develop and make available to each school board no later than December 31, 2023, the training modules described in subsection B of § 22.1-23.4 of the Code of Virginia, as created by this act.

3. That each school board shall adopt policies pursuant to subsection E of § 22.1-23.4 of the Code of Virginia, as created by this act, no later than the beginning of the 2024–2025 school year.