HR 466

                                                 PRINTER'S NO.   3133
             THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
      HOUSE RESOLUTION
         No. 466
                                         Session of
                                           2026
INTRODUCED BY DALEY, MAYES, WAXMAN, SANCHEZ, HILL-EVANS, RIVERA,
   K. HARRIS, CEPEDA-FREYTIZ AND PARKER, APRIL 2, 2026
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON HEALTH, APRIL 2, 2026
                          A RESOLUTION
1 Recognizing the month of May 2026 as "Sex Ed for All Month" in
2    Pennsylvania.
3    WHEREAS, Coordinated by the Sex Education Collaborative and a
4 national coalition of sexual and reproductive health, rights and
5 justice organizations, "Sex Ed for All Month" recognizes the
6 importance of ensuring that all young people have access to
7 sexuality education that is comprehensive, medically accurate
8 and inclusive; and
9    WHEREAS, Many young people enter adulthood with inaccurate,
10 incomplete or conflicting information about sexual and
11 reproductive health, leaving them vulnerable to unintended
12 pregnancies, sexually transmitted infections and sexual
13 violence, abuse, exploitation and coercion; and
14    WHEREAS, While 42 states require public school students to
15 take a sexual education course that covers at least one topic
16 within this subject, only 19 states mandate that this
17 instruction be medically accurate, and five of those states only
18 require medical accuracy for specific topics; and
1    WHEREAS, Comprehensive sexuality education gives children and
2 young people accurate, age-appropriate information about the
3 emotional, physical and social aspects of sexuality, providing
4 them with the knowledge to protect and advocate for their
5 health, well-being and dignity; and
6    WHEREAS, Comprehensive sexuality education is most effective
7 when taught over several years, integrating age-appropriate
8 information and relaying scientifically accurate information
9 about anatomy, contraception, childbirth and sexually
10 transmitted infections; and
11    WHEREAS, From kindergarten through high school, age-
12 appropriate sexuality education gives children and young people
13 the tools they need to build healthy relationships, set
14 boundaries, develop critical-thinking skills and stay safe in a
15 complex world; and
16    WHEREAS, Comprehensive sexuality education can be taught in
17 school as a part of the curriculum, in community-based settings
18 and through digital platforms; and
19    WHEREAS, Comprehensive sexuality education that includes
20 information beyond abstinence has been found to delay sexual
21 activity, increase contraceptive use and decrease physical
22 aggression with intimate partners; and
23    WHEREAS, Comprehensive sexuality education helps young people
24 prepare for and manage physical and emotional changes as they
25 grow up, including during puberty and adolescence, while
26 teaching them about respect, consent and where to go if they
27 need help; and
28    WHEREAS, Evidence shows that well-designed, high-quality
29 sexuality education supports positive decision-making around
30 sexual health and delivers positive health outcomes, with
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1 lifelong impacts; and
2    WHEREAS, The United States has long experienced the highest
3 or near-highest rate of unintended teen pregnancy among
4 industrialized countries; and
5    WHEREAS, Evidence shows that when young people are better
6 informed about sexual and reproductive health, they are more
7 likely to delay the onset of sexual activity and, when they do
8 have sex, they are more likely to practice safer sex; and
9    WHEREAS, Young people who receive sexuality education are 50%
10 less likely to experience an unintended pregnancy and 31% less
11 likely to contract a sexually transmitted infection; and
12    WHEREAS, Young people who are 15 through 25 years of age
13 contract about one-half of the 19 million sexually transmitted
14 infections in the United States, despite making up approximately
15 one-quarter of the sexually active population; and
16    WHEREAS, One in five HIV infections is contracted by a young
17 person under 25 years of age; and
18    WHEREAS, Approximately 75% of LGBTQ+ students report
19 harassment and 56% report feeling unsafe at school; and
20    WHEREAS, Seven states require teachers to portray LGBTQ+
21 people negatively or not at all, and only nine states mandate
22 that sexuality education be culturally appropriate and free from
23 biases based on race, ethnicity or sexual orientation; and
24    WHEREAS, Comprehensive sexuality education reduces costs
25 associated with unintended pregnancies, sexually transmitted
26 infections and sexual violence, abuse, exploitation and
27 coercion, delivering high economic returns by reducing public
28 expenditures on health care and social services; and
29    WHEREAS, Comprehensive sexuality education equips children
30 and young people with the knowledge, skills, attitudes and
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1 values to help them protect their health, develop respectful
2 social and sexual relationships, make responsible choices and
3 understand and protect their rights and the rights of others;
4 therefore be it
5    RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives recognize the
6 month of May 2026 as "Sex Ed for All Month" in Pennsylvania.
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