| Chapter 320 |
| 2021 -- H 6469 Enacted 07/09/2021 |
| A N A C T |
| RELATING TO EDUCATION -- HEALTH AND SAFETY OF PUPILS |
Introduced By: Representatives Alzate, Felix, Kazarian, Casimiro, Barros, Baginski, Giraldo, and S Lima |
| Date Introduced: June 24, 2021 |
| It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows: |
| SECTION 1. Section 16-21-30 of the General Laws in Chapter 16-21 entitled "Health and |
| Safety of Pupils" is hereby amended to read as follows: |
| 16-21-30. Dating violence policy. |
| (a) As used in this section: |
| (1) (3) "Dating violence" means a pattern of behavior where one person uses threats of, or |
| actually uses, physical, sexual, verbal or emotional abuse to abusive or coercive behaviors used to |
| exert power and control his or her over a current or former dating partner. Behaviors may occur |
| online, in person, or through the use of technology. Abuse may be physical, verbal, emotional, |
| sexual, financial, or psychological and includes threats, isolation, and intimidation. |
| (2) "Dating partner" means any person, regardless of gender, involved in an intimate |
| relationship with another primarily characterized by the expectation of affectionate involvement |
| whether casual, serious, or long-term. |
| (3) (1) "At school" means in a classroom, on or immediately adjacent to school premises, |
| on a school bus or other school-related vehicle, at an official school bus stop, or at any school- |
| sponsored activity or event whether or not it is on school grounds. |
| (b) The department of education shall develop a model dating violence policy to assist |
| school districts in developing policies for dating violence reporting and response. The model policy |
| shall be issued on or before April 1, 2008. |
| (c) Each school district shall establish a specific policy to address incidents of dating |
| violence involving students at school by December 1, 2008. Each school district shall verify |
| compliance with the department of education on an annual basis through the annual school health |
| report. |
| (1) Such The policy shall include, but not be limited to,: a statement that dating violence |
| will not be tolerated,; dating violence reporting procedures,; guidelines to responding to at school |
| incidents of dating violence; and discipline procedures specific to such the incidents. |
| (2) To ensure notice of the school district's dating violence policy, the policy shall be |
| published in any school district policy and handbook that sets forth the comprehensive rules, |
| procedures, and standards of conduct for students at school. |
| (d) Each school district shall provide dating violence training to all administrators, |
| teachers, nurses, and mental health staff at the middle and high school levels. Upon the |
| recommendation of the administrator, other staff may be included or may attend the training on a |
| volunteer basis. The dating violence training shall include, but not be limited to,: basic principles |
| of dating violence,; warnings signs of dating violence; and the school district's dating violence |
| policy, to ensure that they are able to appropriately respond to incidents of dating violence at school. |
| Thereafter, this training shall be provided yearly to all newly hired staff deemed appropriate to |
| receive the training by the school's administration. |
| (e) Each school district shall inform the students' parents or legal guardians of the school |
| district's dating violence policy. If requested, the school district shall provide the parents or legal |
| guardians with the school district's dating violence policy and relevant information. It is strongly |
| recommended that the school district provide parent awareness training. |
| (f) Each school district shall collect data regarding instances of student misconduct that are |
| considered dating violence. As part of the usual course of discipline data submission to the |
| department of education, each school district shall specify when a particular infraction is also |
| considered dating violence. |
| (f)(g) This section does not prevent a victim from seeking redress under any other available |
| law, either civil or criminal. This section does not create or alter any tort liability. |
| SECTION 2. Section 16-22-24 of the General Laws in Chapter 16-22 entitled "Curriculum |
| [See Title 16 Chapter 97 - The Rhode Island Board of Education Act]" is hereby amended to read |
| as follows: |
| 16-22-24. Dating violence education. |
| (a) Each school district shall incorporate dating violence education that is age-appropriate |
| into the annual health curriculum framework for students in grades seven (7) through twelve (12). |
| (1) Dating violence education shall include, but not be limited to,: defining dating |
| violence,; recognizing dating violence warning signs; and characteristics of healthy relationships. |
| Additionally, students shall be provided with the school district's dating violence policy as provided |
| in subsection ยง 16-21-30(c). |
| (2) For the purposes of this section: |
| (i) (iii) "Dating violence" means a pattern of behavior where one person uses threats of, or |
| actually uses, physical, sexual, verbal or emotional abuse to abusive or coercive behaviors used to |
| exert power and control his or her over a current or former dating partner. Behaviors may occur |
| online, in person, or through the use of technology. Abuse may be physical, verbal, emotional, |
| sexual, financial, or psychological and includes threats, isolation, and intimidation. |
| (ii) "Dating partner" means any person involved in an intimate association with another |
| primarily characterized by the expectation of affectionate involvement whether casual, serious, or |
| long-term. |
| (iii) (i) "At school" means in a classroom, on or immediately adjacent to such the school |
| premises, on a school bus or other school-related vehicle, at an official school bus stop, or at any |
| school sponsored activity or event whether or not it is on school grounds. |
| (3) To assist school districts in developing a dating violence education program, the |
| department of education shall review and approve the grade-level topics relating to dating violence |
| and healthy relationships in the "health literacy for all students: the Rhode Island health education |
| framework.". |
| (4) The provisions of this section shall be amended in the health education curriculum |
| sections of the Rhode Island rules and regulations for school health programs, R16-21-SCHO, and |
| the Rhode Island basic education program at their next revisions. |
| (b) Upon written request to the school principal, a parent or legal guardian of a pupil less |
| than eighteen (18) years of age, within a reasonable period of time after the request is made, shall |
| be permitted to examine the dating violence education program instruction materials at the school |
| in which his or her child is enrolled. |
| SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon passage. |
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| LC003075 |
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