ATLANTA – State Representative Jasmine Clark (D-Lilburn) recently pre-filed House Bill 857, legislation that would require consent curriculum to be taught as a part of sex education in schools across Georgia. Through this legislation, Rep. Clark seeks to protect children from sexual assault.
“There has been a lot of talk at the Capitol about ‘protecting children,’ and this legislation will go a long way in actually protecting our children and young adults from a real, tangible threat,” said Rep. Clark. “Equipping our youth with the information to understand what is and what is not consent can reduce sexual assault in our state. This is common sense legislation that is backed by science. Research shows that teaching affirmative consent during adolescence has a significant impact on reducing both perpetration of and being subject to sexual violence. If there is a way to prevent future sexual assaults, then we should not hesitate to employ it.”
HB 857 would require schools to provide age-appropriate instruction concerning consent, as well as awareness and prevention of sexual abuse and assault. This instruction would be required for students in kindergarten through ninth grade.
This legislation will be formally introduced during the upcoming 2022 legislative session of the Georgia General Assembly, which begins January 10, 2021.
To view a copy of this pre-filed legislation, please click here.
Representative Jasmine Clark represents the citizens of District 108, which includes portions of Gwinnett County. She was first elected to the House of Representatives in 2018 and currently serves on the Budget and Fiscal Affairs Oversight, Higher Education, Banks & Banking and Interstate Cooperation committees.
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