Committee lays over bill to require child physical- and sexual-abuse prevention curricula

Senate File 16 would require Minnesota school districts to include child physical- and sexual-abuse prevention instruction in health curricula and to ensure instructors are trained to manage disclosures.

The bill's author, Senator Mitchell, described the measure as complementary to ongoing statewide health standards work and said the bill grew from constituent advocacy. A student testifier, Anurag Venkat of Eastridge High School, described a childhood exposure to ongoing physical abuse experienced by a close friend and urged the committee to require instruction because children need the language and information to seek help. "The very least we can do is ensure that every student in the state of Minnesota receives the education they need to protect themselves and those around them," Venkat said.

Marcia Milliken, executive director of the Minnesota Children's Alliance, testified that prevention should be multi-session, culturally inclusive and developmentally appropriate and emphasized the importance of training for adults in schools to handle disclosures appropriately. She cited national research showing prevention instruction can increase reporting and improve child outcomes.

Committee members praised the bill and recognized the testimony's emotional weight; some members signaled willingness to co-sponsor and called the change "life changing." The committee laid the bill over for possible inclusion in the education-policy omnibus bill so the issue can be considered alongside the statewide health standards review.

Action recorded: SF 16 laid over for possible inclusion in education-policy omnibus.