Missouri House votes to expand sex assault education

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. � The Missouri House has passed a bill requiring high school sex education to include information about sexual harassment and assault.

The proposal, approved Tuesday in an 85-59 vote, would mandate information about consent, sexual violence and sexual harassment be covered in schools teaching sex education. Lessons also would address how to resist unwanted sexual advances.

The mandate would affect only schools already teaching sex education. Individual school districts in Missouri can decide whether to teach sex education.

Proponents say this will help protect students from assault. One lawmaker said it doesn�t go far enough because it wouldn�t reach all students in the state.

The bill now heads to the Senate.

The bill is HB 743