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Committee scales back human-trafficking curriculum bill, narrows grades and removes faculty-hour mandate
Summary
The committee passed an amended human-trafficking education bill that narrows required student education to grades 4–12, removes an annual faculty two-hour training mandate, adds tribal schools, and frames curriculum elements as required for schools while limiting certain prescriptive elements.
The Senate Education Committee passed Senate Bill 2330 as amended to require schoolwide education addressing human-trafficking and exploitation prevention and awareness for students in grades 4 through 12, while scaling back other mandates.
Committee members reviewed a sponsor-submitted amendment that removed mandatory language for faculty training hours and narrowed student instruction to grades 4–12 (previously K–12). The amendment added tribal schools to the list of entities covered and removed a separate reporting provision. The amended language directs school boards and governing boards of tribal-operated schools to adopt policies regarding human-trafficking prevention and awareness and to require schoolwide education; it deletes a prior faculty-hour mandate that would have required at least two hours annually. The amendment also preserved optional parent workshops.
Committee members debated developmental appropriateness and whether the bill's detailed list of recommended curriculum elements should be mandatory. Members succeeded in changing "must include" to "may include" in one subsection (amendment 25.0551.05004) to allow schools more discretion. The committee adopted the amendment by voice roll call (5 yeas, 0 nays, 1 not voting) and later voted to give the bill a due pass as amended (5 yeas, 0 nays, 1 not voting).
