Hello Healthy Futures Community,

We are in the last days of the legislative session and are at a crucial
junction. The Senate just passed an amended version of HB 890
[1] with numerous harmful provisions:

* Previously, parents could opt their kids out of sex education if they
opposed the instruction. In 2021, the legislature implemented a
requirement that students get written consent from their parents in order
to participate in sex education. The opt-in requirement expires in
2024, but HB 890  would make it permanent. 

* The Senate added "don't say gay" language to HB 890. Every child should
feel safe in the classroom, but these draconian restrictions would harm our
LGBTQ students and also put teachers at risk.
* The Senate also added language requiring parent consent for surveys,
including important public health data like the Youth Risk Behavior Survey
and the Texas Youth Tobacco Survey. Studies show that by requiring parent
consent for this type of survey, we systemically exclude the very students
who are most at risk for bad health outcomes, resulting in skewed and
misleading data. 

The original version of HB 890, filed by Rep. Keith Bell (R - Forney) was a
simple bipartisan bill with none of these harmful components. Rep. Bell
served as a school board trustee for 20 years. 

WE NEED EVERYONE TO CALL OR EMAIL REP. BELL TODAY OR TOMORROW AND ASK HIM
TO NOT CONCUR ON HB 890, AND TO REMOVE THESE HARMFUL PROVISIONS. 

Email: Link [2]

Phone: (512) 463-0458

WHAT CAN YOU SAY? 

* “I think that opt-out policies for sex education are better for Texas
kids. Many families fail to return opt-in forms because they simply
overlook them or forget about them – and research shows that kids who are
the most at-risk for outcomes like teen pregnancy are the ones whose
parents are least likely to manage to return the paperwork. But if we make
opt-in permanent, please take steps to remove administrative red tape and
make these laws easier for our overworked teachers to comply with.” 
* "Please don't allow "don't say gay" restrictions to pass. These laws
harm kids who already face bullying and mental health challenges. Local
school health advisory councils already vet health curriculum to make sure
it aligns with community values."
* "Please remove the provision requiring parent consent for surveys. 
This provision would wreck important data that the state collects on topics
like youth tobacco use, teen pregnancy risk, and mental health. We need
accurate data to build effective prevention programs."

How can you help?

1. The most important thing you can do is email or call Rep. Bell to share
your concerns with the bill.  

2. Share this info with colleagues whose work would be impacted. 

[3]

HEALTHY FUTURES OF TEXAS

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