HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1005 FILED ON: 1/19/2011
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1540
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
_________________
PRESENTED BY:
Timothy J. Toomey, Jr.
_______________
To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:
The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the passage of the accompanying:
An Act to promote healthy behaviors.
_______________
PETITION OF:
Name: | District/Address: |
Timothy J. Toomey, Jr. | 26th Middlesex |
Benjamin Swan | 11th Hampden |
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1005 FILED ON: 1/19/2011
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1540
By Mr. Toomey of Cambridge, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 1540) of Timothy J. Toomey, Jr., and Benjamin Swan for legislation to establish a program of community based health and sexuality education services within the Department of Public Health. Public Health. |
[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE
HOUSE
, NO. 2174 OF 2009-2010.]
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
An Act to promote healthy behaviors.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
SECTION 1. Chapter 111 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2006 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after section 24K, the following section:—
Section 24L. The department shall establish a program of community based health and sexuality education services provided by comprehensive family planning agencies. Said program shall be designed to promote healthy behaviors among adolescents, parents and/or guardians by providing science based health information and education. Community based health education staff shall promote healthy behaviors within the community by providing specialized education and outreach to targeted high risk populations, parents and guardians and to staff of community based agencies providing services to young people. Said specialized education and outreach program shall include efforts to reduce unintended pregnancy; promote abstinence in order to delay adolescent sexual activity; increase parental ability to communicate with their children about healthy sexuality; and reduce unhealthy risk taking behavior among all individuals.
For the purposes of the section, comprehensive family planning agencies shall be defined pursuant to section 24E of this chapter.
