Stricken language would be deleted from and underlined language would be added to present law.
1 State of Arkansas
2 95th General Assembly A Bill
3 Regular Session, 2025 HOUSE BILL 1031
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5 By: Representative A. Collins
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8 For An Act To Be Entitled
9 AN ACT TO CREATE THE ARKANSAS HEALTHY LIFESTYLE
10 EDUCATION ACT OF 2025; TO ENSURE THE HEALTH
11 CURRICULUM IN ARKANSAS PUBLIC SCHOOLS ADDRESSES
12 CERTAIN HEALTH ISSUES FACING STUDENTS; AND FOR OTHER
13 PURPOSES.
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16 Subtitle
17 TO CREATE THE ARKANSAS HEALTHY LIFESTYLE
18 EDUCATION ACT OF 2025; AND TO ENSURE THE
19 HEALTH CURRICULUM IN ARKANSAS PUBLIC
20 SCHOOLS ADDRESSES CERTAIN HEALTH ISSUES
21 FACING STUDENTS.
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23 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS:
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25 SECTION 1. DO NOT CODIFY. Title.
26 This act shall be known and may be cited as the "Arkansas Healthy
27 Lifestyle Education Act of 2025".
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29 SECTION 2. DO NOT CODIFY. Legislative findings.
30 The General Assembly finds that:
31 (1) According to a 2023 report by the United Health Foundation,
32 Arkansas ranks number forty-eight (48) in the nation for overall health;
33 (2) Based on the 2018 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
34 High School Youth Risk Behavior Survey, Arkansas ranked highest in the nation
35 for the percentage of students who:
36 (A) Have considered suicide;
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1 (B) Are considered obese;
2 (C) Have been forced to have sex; or
3 (D) Use smokeless tobacco;
4 (3) According to data reported in 2022 by the Centers for
5 Disease Control and Prevention, Arkansas has the second highest teen birth
6 rate in the nation; and
7 (4) As a result of Arkansas's rankings in these nationwide
8 findings, it is imperative that the General Assembly ensure that certain
9 topics are addressed in the student health curriculum in our secondary public
10 schools.
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12 SECTION 3. Arkansas Code Title 6, Chapter 16, Subchapter 10, is
13 amended to add an additional section to read as follows:
14 6-16-1008. Health curriculum requirements.
15 (a) Beginning in the 2025-2026 school year, each public school shall
16 offer a health course with a curriculum that provides evidence-based
17 instruction to each student in grades seven through twelve (7-12) on:
18 (1)(A) Mental health issues.
19 (B) The mental health curriculum required under this
20 subdivision (a)(1) shall include without limitation:
21 (i) Suicide prevention methods; and
22 (ii) Information regarding recognition of mental
23 health crises;
24 (2)(A) Substance abuse and addiction issues.
25 (B) The substance abuse and addiction curriculum required
26 under this section shall include without limitation:
27 (i) Information regarding prescription drug abuse,
28 illicit drug abuse, alcohol abuse, and other substances known to be abused
29 during adolescence; and
30 (ii) Substance abuse, consequences of substance
31 abuse, and prevention methods;
32 (3)(A) Diet and obesity issues.
33 (B) The diet and obesity curriculum required under this
34 subdivision (a)(3) shall include information aimed at preventing physical
35 health issues, including without limitation:
36 (i) Obesity;
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1 (ii) Cardiovascular disease; and
2 (iii) Type 2 diabetes;
3 (4)(A) Tobacco use prevention and cessation.
4 (B) The tobacco use prevention and cessation curriculum
5 required under this section shall include without limitation information
6 regarding:
7 (i) Adverse health effects of using any form of
8 tobacco or nicotine delivery system;
9 (ii) E-cigarettes and vaping;
10 (iii) Addiction; and
11 (iv) Cessation; and
12 (5)(A) Teenage pregnancy prevention.
13 (B) The teenage pregnancy prevention curriculum required
14 under this subdivision (a)(5) shall include without limitation information
15 regarding:
16 (i) The prevention of unintended pregnancy and the
17 prevention of sexually transmitted infections through abstinence and
18 contraception; and
19 (ii) The topic of consent and healthy relationships.
20 (C) A parent or legal guardian may submit a written
21 request for his or her child to be excused from all or any part of the health
22 curriculum regarding teenage pregnancy prevention under this subdivision
23 (a)(5).
24 (b) The Division of Elementary and Secondary Education shall:
25 (1) Identify and develop, in consultation with the University of
26 Arkansas for Medical Sciences and the Department of Health, evidence-based
27 health resources required under this section; and
28 (2) Provide professional development support regarding academic
29 health standards and evidence-based resources for teachers who are
30 responsible for implementing the health curriculum required under this
31 section.
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