UPDATE 8/20/21: SB 818 was signed into law by Governor Pritzker. Read more here.
Keeping Youth Safe and Healthy Act (SB 818) creates personal health and safety standards for grades K-5 and updates and expands comprehensive sexual health education standards in grades 6-12 to give young people the information and tools they need to be safe and support responsible and informed decision making about their health and well-being throughout their lives. These topics include but are not limited to: anatomy and physiology; healthy relationships; identity; personal safety; pregnancy and reproduction; puberty, growth and adolescent development; and sexually transmitted infections, including HIV.
It also expands the current requirement that instruction be medically accurate, developmentally and age appropriate to include instruction that is also culturally appropriate, inclusive, and trauma informed. The bill also ensures that comprehensive personal health and safety and sexual health education in Illinois is affirming of identities including those who historically have been stigmatized or excluded including LGBTQIA and pregnant or parenting youth.
FIND OUT MORE ABOUT SEX ED IN ILLINOIS
Listen to our Talking Liberties Podcast Episode On This Law
THE TALK: A GUIDE TO COMPREHENSIVE SEXUAL HEALTH EDUCATION IN ILLINOIS