Skip to content
A2577Assembly2019-2020 SessionSame asS4070

Teach Kids to Prevent Abuse

Official title

“Requires the commissioner of education to make recommendations to the board of regents relating to instruction on preventing child sexual exploitation and abuse in grades K - 8”

Sponsor Jeffrey DinowitzAD-81+44 co-sponsorsAffects Education
Status
Assembly Floor Calendar
Impact
7/10
Significant
Outcome
Companion signed

Bill progress

Signed via S4070

What's happening

This bill, known as "Erin's Law," requires New York public schools to provide K-8 students with instruction on preventing child sexual exploitation and abuse.

Why it matters

  1. Mandates proactive education. The law requires age-appropriate instruction for K-8 students, aiming to equip children with awareness, skills, and self-confidence to recognize, resist, and report sexual exploitation and abuse—potentially reducing vulnerability and long-term trauma.

  2. Includes parents and school staff. By mandating educational programs not just for students but also for parents and school personnel, the law seeks to create a community-wide safety net, fostering informed vigilance and support around children.

  3. State oversight and support. The commissioner, in consultation with the Department of Health, will define curriculum requirements and may offer technical assistance, ensuring programs are evidence-based, consistent, and accessible to all schools.

  4. Allows for flexible implementation. The law encourages the Department of Education to provide model curriculum and resources online, making it easier for schools to adopt best practices and for parents to review materials, increasing transparency and accessibility.

The daily · weekday mornings

Albany, before your first meeting.

Every bill that moved yesterday, summarized in a sentence and ranked by impact. The Albany Scorecard follows on Sundays.

Free. Unsubscribe in one click. Want alerts on specific bills? Create an account.

Who cares

Headline styles

Teach Kids to Prevent Abuse

Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.

Sponsors

Primary sponsor
Jeffrey Dinowitz

Assembly Member · Assembly District 81

Chair, Codes

History

  1. Substituted by S4070B
  2. Ordered to third reading rules cal.542
  3. Rules report cal.542
  4. Reported
  5. Reported referred to rules
  6. Reported referred to ways and means
  7. Print number 2577b
  8. Amend and recommit to education
  9. Print number 2577a
  10. Amend (t) and recommit to education
  11. Referred to education

Companion bill

The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.

S4070Senate

Teach Kids to Prevent Abuse

Signed by Governor · Sponsor Alessandra Biaggi

Impact 7 · SignificantSigned into law

Full text

2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗

STATE OF NEW YORK

2577--B

2019-2020 Regular Sessions

IN ASSEMBLY

January 24, 2019

Introduced by M. of A. DINOWITZ, GOTTFRIED, PAULIN, SIMOTAS, COOK, COLTON, ENGLEBRIGHT, GUNTHER, TITUS, WALKER, RODRIGUEZ, MALLIOTAKIS, L. ROSENTHAL, CRUZ, REYES, HEVESI, SIMON, DICKENS, JAFFEE, LIFTON, SMITH, SEAWRIGHT, McDONOUGH, TAYLOR, JOYNER --… Show all

Introduced by M. of A. DINOWITZ, GOTTFRIED, PAULIN, SIMOTAS, COOK, COLTON, ENGLEBRIGHT, GUNTHER, TITUS, WALKER, RODRIGUEZ, MALLIOTAKIS, L. ROSENTHAL, CRUZ, REYES, HEVESI, SIMON, DICKENS, JAFFEE, LIFTON, SMITH, SEAWRIGHT, McDONOUGH, TAYLOR, JOYNER -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. ABBATE, ARROYO, BARCLAY, FAHY, GIGLIO, LAVINE, ORTIZ, RA, RAIA, THIELE -- read once and referred to the Committee on Education -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee

AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to requiring a course of study in the prevention of child sexual exploitation and child sexual abuse

The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:

Section 1. This act shall be known and may be cited as "Erin's Law".

§ 2. The education law is amended by adding a new section 803-b to read as follows:

§ 803-b. Courses of study in prevention of child sexual exploitation and child sexual abuse. 1. All pupils in grades K-8 in all public schools in the state shall receive instruction designed to prevent child sexual exploitation and child sexual abuse. Such program shall be defined by the commissioner in regulations after consultation with the department of health and be designed to educate students, parents and school personnel about the prevention of child sexual exploitation and child sexual abuse in grades kindergarten through eight. Such program shall include, but not be limited to students and parents. Nothing in this section shall prevent the department from making model curriculum and resource materials available on the department's website.

2. The commissioner may provide technical assistance to assist in the development of curricula for such courses of study which shall be age

EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets

[ ] is old law to be omitted.

LBD01177-07-9

A. 2577--B 2

appropriate and developed according to the needs and abilities of pupils at successive grade levels in order to provide awareness, skills, information, self-confidence and support to aid in the prevention of child sexual exploitation and child sexual abuse.

§ 3. This act shall take effect on the first of July next succeeding the date on which it shall have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implementation of this act on its effective date are authorized to be made and completed on or before such effective date.

Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.

Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.