MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

2007 Regular Session

To: Education

By: Representative Mims

House Bill 703

AN ACT TO REQUIRE ALL PUBLIC SCHOOLS TO TEACH DRUG EDUCATION IN GRADES 2 THROUGH 8 FOR NO LESS THAN 30 MINUTES PER WEEKLY; TO REQUIRE THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO DEVELOP AGE APPROPRIATE DRUG EDUCATION COURSES AND TO REQUIRE DRUG EDUCATION COURSES TO BE APPROVED BY THE MISSISSIPPI BUREAU OF NARCOTICS; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

     BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

      SECTION 1.  (1)  In addition to the curriculum otherwise required by law or the State Board of Education to be taught in the public schools of this state, each public school district shall include drug education in all classes in Grade 2 through Grade 8.  The drug education required under this section must be taught for no less than thirty (30) minutes per week.

     (2)  The State Department of Education, with the input of the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics, shall prepare a developmentally age appropriate course or courses of drug education for each grade in which the drug education must be taught.  Any course of drug education taught in a school district in fulfillment of the requirements of this section must be a course that has been approved by the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics. 

     SECTION 2.  Section 1 of this act shall be codified as a separate code section in Chapter 13, Title 37, Mississippi Code of 1972. 

     SECTION 3.  This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2007.