H.R. 7492 — Introduced in House

I 117th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 7492 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES April 11, 2022Mr. Gooden of Texas (for himself, Mr. Tiffany, Mr. Weber of Texas, Mr. Ellzey, Mr. Gohmert, and Mr. Duncan) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and Labor, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned A BILL To prohibit the Department of Education from punishing States, local educational agencies, or elementary schools for failure to implement or carry out certain Federal policies relating to sex education in elementary schools, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Protecting Innocence in Education Act. 2. Prohibition of federally mandated sex education in elementary schools (a) Prohibition of certain actions by Secretary of Education The Secretary of Education may not— (1) require States, local educational agencies, or elementary schools to implement Federal recommendations, requirements, rules, regulations, guidance, or other programs relating to sex education in elementary schools; or (2) punish a State, local educational agency, or elementary school, including by withholding Federal funds or levying fines under title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (20 U.S.C. 1681 et seq.) or any other Federal law, for failure to implement or carry out Federal recommendations, requirements, rules, regulations, guidance, or other programs relating to sex education in elementary schools. (b) Prohibition of certain actions by Task Force on Sexual Violence in Education The Task Force on Sexual Violence in Education established under section 1314 of division W of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2022 (Public Law 117–103) may not— (1) develop recommendations for States, local educational agencies, or elementary schools with respect to sex education in elementary schools under section 1314(a)(5) of such Act or any other Federal law; or (2) notwithstanding section 1314(a)(8) of such Act, assess the Department of Education’s ability under section 902 of the Education Amendments of 1972 (20 U.S.C. 1682) to levy intermediate fines for noncompliance with title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (20 U.S.C. 1681 et seq.) or the advisability of additional remedies for such noncompliance, in addition to the remedies already available under Federal law. (c) Definitions In this Act, the terms elementary school, local educational agency, and State have the meanings given such terms in section 8101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801).