The Guardian
6.2.15 | Anita Chabria
Senators pass measure that would mean teenagers being taught new consent standard before they move on to college
California lawmakers are a step closer to making the state’s high school students the first in the nation to have mandatory education in the “yes means yes” sexual consent standard that it recently adopted on college campuses.
State senators this week unanimously passed SB 695, which would require high schools that have a health education requirement for graduation to include training on affirmative consent.
“This bill represents the next step in the fight to change behavior towards women, particularly young women,” said the acting Senate president, Kevin de Leon, co-author of the bill, before the vote. “California must continue to lead the nation in educating our young people, both woman as well as young men, about the importance of respect and maintaining healthy peer and dating relationships.”
California last September became the first US state to require that all state colleges receiving public funds use a “yes means yes” standard when investigating sexual assaults. The definition of consensual is “affirmative, conscious and voluntary agreement to engage in sexual activity”.
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