Committee makes LEAD program an optional alternative to DARE in schools

The House Education Full Committee approved House Bill 382, which allows local education agencies (LEAs) to choose the LEAD drug‑resistance curriculum as an alternative to the DARE program. The committee adopted Amendment 3,393, which rewrote the bill to make participation permissive rather than mandatory, and the measure passed on a 17-1 vote.

"The amendment makes it optional for an LEA to choose to use the LEA program and doesn't make it mandatory," Representative Butler, the sponsor, told the committee as he explained the amendment. Butler described LEAD as a research‑based prevention curriculum with roughly 450 instructors statewide and use in about 45 counties.

Butler told members that LEAD lessons are evidence based and developed by full‑time prevention specialists who update the curriculum to reflect current prevention science and education practices. He said the curriculum emphasizes goal setting, decision making, effective communication, anger management, media literacy, conflict resolution and pro‑social bonding to help students resist substance abuse and negative peer pressure.

Representative Johnson asked how LEAD differs from the DARE program. Butler replied that LEAD is "evidence based" and said it offers a more current resistance program. Butler also clarified that LEAD does not replace DARE; it provides an alternative so LEAs can choose one or both programs.

A question about whether the two programs compete for the same funding prompted Butler to say the amendment simply makes selection optional and does not itself allocate new dollars; he noted LEAD is already in use in many counties.

After discussion, the clerk reported the committee vote as 17 ayes and 1 nay. House Bill 382 advances from committee with the amendment.