The following highlights recent news about sex education-related legislation.

• Colorado: The House on Monday voted 39-26 to approve a bill (HB 1292) that would require all but one school district in the state to teach comprehensive sex education courses based on scientific research and include instruction on the health benefits and possible side effects of contraception, the AP/Frisco Summit Daily News reports. Under the bill, courses could still include discussion of abstinence, but must be comprehensive. Schools could decide not to teach a sex education course, the AP/Summit Daily News reports. The school district in Center, Colo., would be able to continue teaching its abstinence-only curriculum so as not to lose its federal grants. According to the AP/Summit Daily News, some Republicans said the bill violated the "local control" principle in the state constitution, which allows each district to decide its own curriculum. The measure has been sent to Gov. Bill Ritter (D) (AP/Frisco Summit Daily News, 4/9). Ritter on Wednesday said he is inclined to sign the measure into law (Bartels, Denver Rocky Mountain News, 4/12).
  
  
• Iowa: The Senate on Tuesday voted 30-19 to approve a bill (HF 611) that would require all sex education classes taught in Iowa schools "be age-appropriate and research-based," the Des Moines Register reports. In addition, the bill, which was supported by Planned Parenthood of Greater Iowa, would require that all information in sex education classes be free of racial, ethnic, sexual orientation and gender biases (Roos, Des Moines Register, 4/11). According to the AP/KWWL.com, critics of the bill are concerned that private schools will be unable to teach sex education that does not interfere with their religious teachings (AP/KWWL.com, 4/10). In addition, critics have said that there is no proof that students are being taught inaccurate information in sex education classes. Sen. Joe Bolkcom (D), who led debate on the legislation, said the bill "does not take away local control," adding, "Local schools and parents will decide what materials are used. The difference now is that those materials must be research-based and accurate" (Des Moines Register, 4/11). Bolkcom added that schools can teach abstinence-only sex education classes, as long as the information is medically accurate. Brad Anderson, spokesperson for Gov. Chet Culver (D), said the governor will sign the measure into law (AP/KWWL.com, 4/10).
  
  
• Washington: The House on Wednesday voted 63-34 to approve a bill (SB 5297) that would prohibit abstinence-only sex education in public schools that choose to teach sex education, the AP/Olympian reports. Under the measure, which the Senate passed last month, public schools that choose to provide sex education would be required to discuss abstinence with students. However, schools would be prohibited to teach abstinence without also instructing students about other issues, including contraception, according to the measure. The bill would make voluntary sex education guidelines adopted by the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction in January 2005, which outline medically and scientifically accurate sex education, mandatory. The measure defines "medically and scientifically accurate" information as that which is backed by research published in peer-review journals and is considered objective, according to the AP/Olympian. The legislation would allow parents to review the curriculum and allow them to opt their children out of the classes after filing a written request with the school board or principal. More than 30 amendments to the bill offered by Republicans were not approved. The bill now heads to Gov. Chris Gregoire (D), who is expected to sign it into law (La Corte, AP/Olympian, 4/12).