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ARIZONA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES57th Legislature, 2nd Regular Session |
House: ED DP 8-4-0-0 |
HB 2830: fetal and prenatal development; instruction
Sponsor: Representative Keshel, LD 17
House Engrossed
Overview
Restricts a public school from allowing an abortion provider or a medical facility or organization that refers patients to an abortion clinic from providing health education instruction. Requires the State Board of Education (SBE) to adopt science academic standards that require instruction on fetal and prenatal human development.
History
Statute requires SBE to prescribe competency and minimum course of study requirements that must be taught in common schools and that students must complete to graduate from high school. A school district governing board (governing board) must prescribe: 1) curricula that include the SBE-adopted academic standards; and 2) criteria for the promotion of students from common schools and for the graduation of students from high school. A governing board may prescribe course of study and competency requirements that are in addition to or higher than those prescribed by SBE (A.R.S. §§ 15-701 and 15-701.01).
A school district or charter school may not: 1) endorse or provide financial or instructional program support to any program that does not present childbirth and adoption as preferred options to elective abortion; or 2) allow any presentation during instructional time or furnish any materials to students as part of any instruction that does not give preference, encouragement or support to childbirth and adoption as preferred options to elective abortion (A.R.S. § 15-115).
SBE rules require common school students to demonstrate competency in science and health/physical education. To graduate from high school, students must successfully complete three science credits (A.A.C. R7-2-301 and R7-2-302).
Provisions
Health Education Instruction
1. Prohibits a public school from allowing an abortion provider or a medical facility or organization that refers patients to an abortion clinic to:
a. provide health education instruction in the school;
b. provide health education instructional programs or curricula to the school or school employees; and
c. distribute or display any health education materials or media in the school if the materials or media are created, paid for or donated by the abortion provider or bear an identifying mark of the abortion provider. (Sec. 1)
2. Authorizes the Superintendent of Public Instruction, if the Arizona Department of Education (ADE) determines that a public school is not in compliance with the prohibition and fails to correct the noncompliance within 90 days after receiving notice from ADE, to withhold any portion of the public school's state aid apportionment until ADE determines that the public school is in compliance. (Sec. 1)
3. Defines abortion clinic and abortion provider. (Sec. 1)
Instruction on Fetal and Prenatal Development
4. Requires SBE to:
a. determine the grade levels in which instruction on fetal and prenatal human development is appropriate;
b. adopt science academic standards that require instruction on fetal and prenatal human development that is:
i. consistent with the prescribed requirements;
ii. age-appropriate, factual and focused on only prenatal human development as a biological process; and
c. include instruction on fetal and prenatal human development in the science competency requirements for common schools or high school graduation, or both. (Sec. 2)
5. Instructs SBE to require that instruction on fetal and prenatal human development include an overview of:
a. prenatal human development that explains the biological process by which a human develops from a single cell, through successive stages, before birth;
b. fertilization and early cellular development;
c. the stages of prenatal development;
d. major developmental milestones;
e. supporting biological structures necessary for development; and
f. general principles of healthy prenatal development. (Sec. 2)
6. Details what must be included in the required overviews of:
a. fertilization and early cellular development;
b. the stages of prenatal development;
c. major developmental milestones; and
d. supporting biological structures that are necessary for development. (Sec. 2)
7. Directs SBE to require that the instruction on fetal and prenatal human development:
a. be descriptive and age appropriate; and
b. not include instruction on sexual activity, sexual behavior, contraception, abortion procedures or reproductive decision-making. (Sec. 2)
8. Asserts the instruction on fetal and prenatal human development may not be classified as sex education for the purposes of parental consent or opt-out requirements. (Sec. 2)
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12. Initials CH/JD HB 2830
13. 2/25/2026 Page 0 House Engrossed
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