INDIANAPOLIS — Students in kindergarten through 12th grade at every Indiana school, public or private, soon will receive annual instruction in identifying and preventing child abuse and child sexual abuse.
On Monday, the Indiana Senate voted 49-0 to advance Senate Bill 355 to Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb, who is expected to sign the measure into law. It previously passed the House, 93-0.
The proposal mandates schools provide all students age-appropriate and evidence-based instruction on different types of child abuse, as well as identifying resources that abused children can access to obtain help.
Current law only requires abuse prevention instruction for students in grades two through five.
Expanding the child abuse education requirement has been a top priority for the "No More Secrets" campaign, led by North Township Trustee Frank J. Mrvan, that seeks to end child sexual abuse in Northwest Indiana.
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