Comprehensive Sex Education
Issue: Building a Healthy & Inclusive Society
Target Level of Office: State
Policy Origin: Colorado State Legislature
Poilcy/Bill Number: House Bill 1081
Link: www.YEONetwork.org/2013policy/?i=227
YEO Sponsors:
Reps. Crisanta Duran (Primary Co-Author) and Dominick Moreno
Summary Narrative of the Policy: Passed in May 2013, House Bill 13-1081 moves the state away
from abstinence-only curricula to comprehensive sexual health instruction, including requiring
health classes in public schools to use inclusive language about LGBTQ issues. Furthermore,
schools that receive funding for local comprehensive health education programs are required to
implement an opt-out policy rather than an opt-in policy for comprehensive health and sexuality
education programs.
Relevant Talking Points & Important Information:
• Young people have the right to lead healthy lives. Providing them with honest, sciencebased, age-appropriate comprehensive sexual health education is a key part in helping
them take personal responsibility for their health and well-being. That’s why sex education
programs need to be informed by evidence and include all the information and skills
young people need to make healthy decisions. Providing young people with the skills
and tools to make healthy decisions about sex and relationships is far more effective than
denying them information and simply telling them to abstain.
• Comprehensive sex education covers the wide array of topics that affect sexuality and
sexual health. It is grounded in evidence-based, peer-reviewed science. Its goal is to
promote health and well-being in a way that is developmentally appropriate. It includes
information and communication skills building as well as values exploration.
• According to our partners at Advocates for Youth, research has found that students who
receive comprehensive sex education were 50 percent less likely to experience teen
pregnancy than those who received abstinence-only sex education. Comprehensive sex
education improves health outcomes for students, including lowering the incidence of
unprotected sex, and lowering STI and pregnancy rates.
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State Level
Policy
2014 Book