Relating to human growth and development curriculum

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Elías Coop-González

HB 2150 mandates comprehensive human growth and development education in Illinois schools from grade three, focusing on pregnancy and fetal development, with parental involvement.

To House Education

#education(k12)

Bill Overview

Bill Number: HB 2150
Introduced On: January 29, 2025
Status: To House Education
Subject: Education (K-12)
Sponsor: Rep. Tony M. McCombie

Purpose and Intent

HB 2150 aims to amend the Community Service Education Act to enhance the curriculum related to human growth and development in schools across Illinois. The bill seeks to ensure that students receive comprehensive education on human development, particularly focusing on pregnancy and fetal development.

Key Provisions

Curriculum Requirements:

The bill mandates the inclusion of a human growth and development curriculum in all public, private, parochial, and denominational schools.
Instruction must cover human biology related to pregnancy and fetal development, starting from grade three.

Specific Content:

The curriculum will include:
- A high-definition ultrasound video (minimum three minutes) demonstrating early fetal development.
- The "Meet Baby Olivia" video, which illustrates the fertilization process and stages of human development until birth.

Parental Involvement:

Parents or guardians will have the opportunity to review the curriculum materials and may exempt their child from participation in the instruction by providing written notice to the school principal.

Legal Enforcement:

The bill authorizes the Attorney General to take legal action against any violations of the "Baby Olivia Act," which is the name given to the human growth and development curriculum established by this legislation.

Impact

Affected Parties:

All public, private, parochial, and denominational schools in Illinois will be required to implement the new curriculum.
Students from grade three and above will be directly impacted by the new educational requirements.
Parents will have a role in determining their child's participation in the curriculum.

Educational Outcomes:

The bill aims to provide students with a better understanding of human development, potentially fostering informed discussions about pregnancy and health.

Procedural Timeline

January 29, 2025: Bill filed with the Clerk.

February 4, 2025: First reading and referred to the Rules Committee.

February 12, 2025: Introduced in the House and referred to the Education Committee, then to the Judiciary.

March 12, 2025: Passed the Executive Committee with a "Do Pass" recommendation.

March 27, 2025: Held on the Calendar Order for second reading.

May 31, 2025: Rule 19(a) re-referred to the Rules Committee; third reading deadline extended.

Conclusion

HB 2150 represents a significant shift in educational policy regarding human growth and development in Illinois schools. By mandating specific curriculum content and providing legal enforcement mechanisms, the bill aims to enhance students' understanding of human biology and development, while also involving parents in the educational process.

Bill