NC Senate Rejects Bigoted Amendment, Passes Healthy Youth Act
6/24/2009 - Yesterday the North Carolina Senate passed a bill to improve sex education in North Carolina schools and rejected an attempt to deny lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students access to counseling services and information to protect their health. HB 88, the Healthy Youth Act, now goes back to the House for a vote on whether to accept the Senate version of the bill or appoint a conference committee.
During the debate on the bill Sen. Andrew Brock proposed an amendment adding this sentence: "Nothing in this act shall authorize the promoting, teaching, condoning, counseling, or referral for counseling other than for heterosexual relationships." Had it passed, it would have prevented LGBT students from receiving services from school counselors and denied them information about sexual health issues. The Senate defeated the amendment on a 19-28 party-line vote.
The final bill passed by the Senate is inferior to the House's version as it leaves all students getting biased, inaccurate information in an abstinence section of the program, but would add information about contraception and disease prevention. It passed 25-21, with bi-partisan support.
Equality NC is disappointed in the Senate's changes to the bill, and is asking the House not to concur, so a stronger version can be negotiated by a conference committee. The House is expected to vote on concurrence on Thursday, June 24.
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