Washington State OKs Flexibility for Sex Education Grants

On Wednesday, the state Senate passed a bill that would give Washington's Department of Health discretion as to whether to apply for federal abstinence-only sex education funding. Under a law in force for the past decade, DOH had to apply for the funds. SB 5629 passed the Senate by a 33-14 vote and now heads to the House, where similar Senate legislation died last year.

SB 5629's sponsor, Sen. Jeanne Kohl-Welles (D-Seattle), said the measure would only require that grants go to effective programs that reduce unintended pregnancies. Nothing would prevent DOH from applying for federal abstinence-only grants, she said, but the funded programs must be medically and scientifically accurate, and they must aim to prevent STDs and unintended pregnancies.

In 2008, the state applied and was turned down for federal abstinence money because it indicated that more than abstinence-only would be taught, said Marla Russo of DOH. Under a 2007 state law, schools that offer sex education must discuss not only abstinence but also other aspects of sexuality, including contraception. No federal funding source other than abstinence-only grants is geared to prevent teen pregnancy, she said.

Federal abstinence grants to Washington have amounted to about $800,000 per year. A recent media campaign to encourage parent-child communication about sex and abstinence was funded by an abstinence grant of slightly over $200,000.

It is unclear whether rules governing the federal grants will be changed under the Obama administration, Russo said. "Your guess is as good as mine," she said. Foundation money may be one alternative, she added.

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