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BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — State senators will consider whether to allow a national sex survey in Louisiana public high schools.
Rep. Pat Smith, a Baton Rouge Democrat, says the information is key to curbing Louisiana's teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted disease rates, which rank among the highest nationwide.
The House voted 53-40 Tuesday to advance the measure to the Senate. It needed 53 votes to pass.
Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention survey is collected from randomly selected school districts every two years.
Lawmakers opposing the proposal say the questioning would be invasive and unnecessary because there is already data on the risks and behaviors that lead to pregnancies and infections.
Supporters counter there's ample opportunity for districts and parents to review survey questions and opt-out.
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House Bill 402: www.legis.la.gov
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