This bill expands the criteria for adequate public education to include mental health education. It also gives the Department of Education the authority to adopt rules for the provision of mental health curriculum, including topics such as bullying, suicide prevention, mental health disorders, and coping strategies. The bill also requires the Department of Education to make available electronically a model curriculum on mental health education. Additionally, the bill allows parents or legal guardians to request an exception to specific course material on mental health if they find it objectionable, and requires the school district to provide an alternative agreed upon by the district and the parent.

The fiscal impact of this bill is indeterminable, but the Department of Education estimates that it would result in a minimum increase of $100,000 per year in state expenditures. The impact on local expenditures would vary across school districts and cannot be estimated.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 193-E:2, 193-E:2-a
As Amended by the Senate: 193-E:2, 193-E:2-a, 186:11