Sen. Amanda Chase

Public elementary and secondary schools; curriculaand instruction including inherently divisive concepts prohibited.Requires each public elementary or secondary school principalto ensure that no curriculum utilized or instruction delivered inthe school includes inherently divisive concepts, as that term isdefined in the bill, regardless of whether such curriculum or instructionis provided by a school board employee or any other individual orentity.

Local school boards; requirement for studentsto wear masks or other face coverings; evidentiary substantiation.Prohibits any local school board from requiring any student enrolledat a public elementary or secondary school in the local school divisionto wear a mask, face covering, or other covering of the student'snose and mouth at school, on a school bus, or at a school-sponsoredactivity unless the local school board substantiates such requirementwith evidence that (i) such requirement is necessary to suppress a nuisance dangerous to the public health or a communicable, contagious,or infectious disease or other danger to the public life and health;(ii) no reasonable alternatives to such requirement exist in lightof the impact on quality of life and economic well-being; and (iii)such requirement is narrowly tailored to address the nuisance dangerousto the public health or the communicable, contagious, or infectiousdisease or other danger to the public life and health.

Family life education instruction; school yeartime limit. Requires each school board that offers a family lifeeducation curriculum to limit instruction delivered to students pursuantto such curriculum to one hour per school year in each grade level.

Elections; time of certain local elections.Removes a provision that requires local elections for mayor, members of a local governing body, or members of an elected schoolboard to be held at the time of the November general election. Thebill allows cities and towns that made the transition between July1, 2021, and July 1, 2022, to provide by ordinance for its reversal.

State and local elections officials; acceptanceof certain gifts and funding prohibited. Prohibits state and local elections officials from soliciting, accepting, using, or disposingof any moneys, grants, property, or services given by a private individualor nongovernmental entity for the purpose of funding voter educationand outreach programs, voter registration programs, or any otherexpense incurred in the conduct of elections. The bill specificallyprovides that the operation of a polling place or voter satelliteoffice in a facility furnished by a private individual or nongovernmentalentity is not a violation of this prohibition.

Abortion; born alive human infant; treatment and care; penalty. Requires every physician licensed by the Board of Medicine who attempts to terminate a pregnancy to (i) exercise the same degree of professional skill, care, and diligence to preserve the life and health of a human infant who has been born alive following such attempt as a reasonably diligent and conscientious health care practitioner would render to any other child born alive at the same gestational age and (ii) take all reasonable steps to ensure the immediate transfer of the human infant who has been born alive to a hospital for further medical care. A physician who fails to comply with the requirements of this act is guilty of a Class 4 felony and may be subject to disciplinary action by the Board of Medicine. The bill also requires every hospital licensed by the Department of Health to establish a protocol for the treatment and care of a human infant who has been born alive following performance of an abortion and for the immediate reporting to law enforcement of any failure to provide such required treatment and care.

Voter registration; registration permittedup to and including the day of the election. Repeals a provisionthat would permit any person who is qualified to register to voteto register to vote in person up to and including the day of theelection, notwithstanding any deadline for the close of registration records. The repeal will limit the persons who are entitled to registerto vote after the close of registration records to (i) any member of a uniformed service of the United States who is on active duty,(ii) any person residing temporarily outside of the United States,and (iii) the spouse or dependent residing with someone listed in(i) or (ii).

Absentee voting in person; available beginningon the tenth day prior to election. Limits absentee voting inperson to the ten days immediately preceding an election.

Commending Jesse Waltz.

Celebrating the life of the Honorable HarryRussell Potts, Jr.