Protecting Innocence in Education Act
Bill: H.R.7492 | Sponsor: Rep. Gooden, Lance (R-TX)
Policy area: Education

Summary:
Protecting Innocence in Education Act
This bill prohibits federally mandated sex education in elementary schools.
Specifically, the bill prohibits the Department of Education (ED) from (1) requiring states, local educational agencies, or elementary schools to implement federal policies relating to sex education in elementary schools; or (2) punishing these entities (e.g., withholding federal funds or levying fines) for failing to implement or carry out these federal policies.
Additionally, the bill prohibits the Task Force on Sexual Violence in Education from (1) developing recommendations for these entities with respect to sex education in elementary schools; or (2) assessing ED's ability to levy intermediate fines for noncompliance with Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in federally funded education programs or activities.

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.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Protecting Innocence in Education 
Act''.

SEC. 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).
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