HF 1758

as introduced - 87th Legislature (2011 - 2012) Posted on 05/22/2011 03:23pm

A bill for an act
relating to health; establishing a sexual violence working group; amending
school violence prevention curriculum; requiring reports; amending Minnesota
Statutes 2010, section 120B.22.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 120B.22, is amended to read:

120B.22 VIOLENCE PREVENTION EDUCATION.

Subdivision 1.

Violence prevention curriculum.

(a) The commissioner of
education, in consultation with the commissioners of health and human services, state
minority councils, battered women's and domestic abuse programs, battered women's
shelters, sexual assault centers, representatives of religious communities, and the assistant
commissioner of the Office of Drug Policy and Violence Prevention, shall assist districts
on request in developing or implementing a violence prevention program for students in
kindergarten to grade 12 that can be integrated into existing curriculum. The purpose of
the program is to deleted text begin help deleted text end new text begin reduce harassment and violence by helping new text end students learn how to
resolve conflicts within their families and communities in nonviolent, effective ways.

(b) Each district is encouraged to integrate into its existing curriculum a program for
violence prevention that includes at least:

(1) a comprehensive, accurate, and age appropriate curriculum on violence
prevention, new text begin sexual abuse and assault prevention, new text end nonviolent conflict resolution, sexual,
racial, and cultural harassment, self-protection, and student hazing that promotes equality,
respect, understanding, effective communication, individual responsibility, thoughtful
decision making, positive conflict resolution, useful coping skills, critical thinking,
listening and watching skills, and personal safety;

(2) planning materials, guidelines, and other accurate information on preventing
physical and emotional violence, identifying and reducing the incidence of sexual, racial,
and cultural harassment, new text begin identifying and reducing the incidence of sexual abuse and
assault, new text end and reducing child abuse and neglect;

(3) a special parent education component of early childhood family education
programs to prevent child abuse and neglect and to promote positive parenting skills,
giving priority to services and outreach programs for at-risk families;

(4) involvement of parents and other community members, including the clergy,
business representatives, civic leaders, new text begin local public health officials, new text end local elected officials,
law enforcement officials, and the county attorney;

(5) collaboration with local community services, agencies, and organizations that
assist in violence intervention or prevention, including new text begin battered women's and domestic
abuse programs, battered women's shelters, sexual assault centers, new text end family-based services,
crisis services, life management skills services, case coordination services, mental health
services, and early intervention services;

(6) collaboration among districts and service cooperatives;

(7) targeting early adolescents for prevention efforts, especially early adolescents
whose personal circumstances may lead to violent or harassing behavior new text begin or assaults new text end ;

(8) opportunities for teachers to receive in-service training or attend other programs
on strategies or curriculum designed to assist students in intervening in or preventing
violence in school and at home; and

(9) administrative policies that reflect, and a staff that models, nonviolent behaviors
that do not display or condone sexual, racial, or cultural harassment new text begin or violence new text end or student
hazing.

(c) The department may provide assistance at a neutral site to a nonpublic school
participating in a district's program.

Subd. 2.

In-service training.

Each district is encouraged to provide training for
district staff and school board members to help students identify violence in the family
and the community so that students may learn to resolve conflicts in effective, nonviolent
ways. The in-service training must be ongoing and involve experts familiar with new text begin sexual
violence, new text end domestic violence new text begin , new text end and personal safety issues.

Subd. 3.

Funding sources.

Districts may accept funds from public and private
sources for violence prevention programs developed and implemented under this section.

Sec. 2. new text begin PREVENTION OF SEXUAL VIOLENCE WORKING GROUP.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Creation; duties; recommendations. new text end

new text begin (a) The commissioner of
health shall convene a prevention of sexual violence working group. At a minimum,
the working group shall:
new text end

new text begin (1) maintain an inventory of existing state agency programs and services that have
an impact on sexual violence prevention;
new text end

new text begin (2) establish goals and strategic objectives for the prevention of sexual violence; and
new text end

new text begin (3) coordinate implementation to achieve these goals and objectives within the
existing state programs and services.
new text end

new text begin (b) The working group may propose recommendations to the governor for new state
policies, programs, or services to advance the goals and objectives in paragraph (a), clause
(2), and comment on proposals for new state policies, programs, or services initiated by
the legislature or state agencies or commissions.
new text end

new text begin (c) The working group shall base its actions and recommendations on:
new text end

new text begin (1) evidence-based research and professional best practices;
new text end

new text begin (2) consultation with professional associations, community associations, nonprofit
organizations, providers, and advocates including, but not limited to, those with experience
in public health, health, criminal justice, judiciary, or corrections or who work with
victims of sexual violence; and
new text end

new text begin (3) the Minnesota Department of Health five-year sexual violence prevention plan.
new text end

new text begin (d) The working group shall give priority consideration to the immediate and
long-term benefits of reducing the impact of sexual violence on children and youth.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Membership. new text end

new text begin The working group consists of the following members
or their designees:
new text end

new text begin (1) the commissioner of health;
new text end

new text begin (2) the commissioner of human services;
new text end

new text begin (3) the commissioner of public safety;
new text end

new text begin (4) the commissioner of corrections;
new text end

new text begin (5) the commissioner of education;
new text end

new text begin (6) the commissioner of administration; and
new text end

new text begin (7) representatives from other state agencies or commissions as designated by the
governor.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Consultation. new text end

new text begin The working group may consult with professional
associations, community associations, nonprofit organizations, providers, and advocates.
These consultations may include, but are not limited to, advisory committees, community
conferences, workshops, and forums.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 4. new text end

new text begin Reports. new text end

new text begin Annually, beginning in 2013, by February 1, the working
group shall report, in coordination with the governor, an illustrative summary of its key
deliberations and initiatives to the chairs and ranking minority members of the legislative
committees with jurisdiction over public safety, public health, judiciary, human services,
education, and state government operations.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 5. new text end

new text begin Resources; support. new text end

new text begin The commissioner of health may solicit and accept
contributions from government or private entities to hire staff or consultants and fund
the working group.
new text end