Bill Text - SB43 (2017)

(New Title) relative to nonacademic surveys, questionnaires, or evaluations administered by a public school to its students.


Revision: Jan. 24, 2017, 10:32 a.m.

SB 43  - AS INTRODUCED

 

 

2017 SESSION

17-0169

04/05

 

SENATE BILL 43

 

AN ACT relative to non-academic surveys administered by a public school to its students.

 

SPONSORS: Sen. Avard, Dist 12; Sen. Reagan, Dist 17; Sen. Birdsell, Dist 19; Sen. Daniels, Dist 11; Sen. French, Dist 7; Sen. Ward, Dist 8; Rep. Murotake, Hills. 32; Rep. V. Sullivan, Hills. 16; Rep. Hill, Merr. 3; Rep. O'Day, Ches. 11; Rep. Ladd, Graf. 4

 

COMMITTEE: Education

 

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ANALYSIS

 

This bill provides that no student shall be required to volunteer or submit to a non-academic survey or questionnaire without written consent of a parent or legal guardian.  The bill also creates an exception to this requirement for the youth risk behavior survey developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

 

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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.

Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]

Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

17-0169

04/05

 

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

 

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Seventeen

 

AN ACT relative to non-academic surveys administered by a public school to its students.

 

Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

 

1  State Board of Education; Duties.  Amend RSA 186:11, IX-d to read as follows:

IX-d.  Require school districts to adopt a policy governing the administration of non-academic surveys or questionnaires to students.  The policy shall require school districts to notify a parent or legal guardian of a non-academic survey or questionnaire and its purpose.  The policy shall provide that no student shall be required to volunteer for or submit to a non-academic survey or questionnaire, as defined in this paragraph, without written consent of a parent or legal guardian unless the student is an adult or an emancipated minor.  The policy shall include an exception from the consent requirement for the youth risk behavior survey developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  The policy shall also allow a parent or legal guardian to opt-out of the youth risk behavior survey developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  The school district shall make such surveys or questionnaires available, at the school and on the school or school district's website, for review by a student's parent or legal guardian at least 10 days prior to distribution to students.  [ The policy shall also allow a parent or legal guardian to opt out of the non-academic survey or questionnaire either in writing or electronically.]  In this paragraph, "non-academic survey or questionnaire'' means surveys, questionnaires, or other documents designed to elicit information about a student's social behavior, family life, religion, politics, sexual orientation, sexual activity, drug use, or any other information not related to a student's academics.

2  Effective Date.  This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.