This bill aims to enhance health education standards in Minnesota by requiring the establishment of statewide academic standards in health education. It amends several sections of the Minnesota Statutes to include health as a required subject area for statewide accountability and mandates the development of rigorous core academic standards in health. The bill specifies that the commissioner of education must adopt statewide rules for implementing these standards and outlines the areas of focus, including mental health education, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, vaping awareness, substance use education, and sexually transmitted infections education. Additionally, it allows for optional learning expectations such as child sexual abuse prevention and violence prevention education.

The bill also includes provisions for the appropriation of funds to support the Department of Education in implementing these changes and establishes a timeline for the adoption of the new health standards. Specifically, it states that locally developed academic standards in health will apply until the end of the 2025-2026 school year or until the commissioner adopts the new statewide rules. The effective date for the new health education standards and related rulemaking processes is set for the day following final enactment, with some sections effective July 1, 2024.