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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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State Rep.
Scott Conklin |
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Teen dating violence bill positioned for House passage
HARRISBURG, March 10 – Centre County state Rep. Scott Conklin said his bill designed to curtail dating violence among teens was debated today in the House of Representatives and is now poised for a final vote.
Conklin's legislation (H.B. 2026) would integrate teen dating violence education into middle and high school curriculums, and would require school districts to develop an anti-dating violence policy.
"Under my bill, school faculty and administrators would be taught about dating violence and how to recognize its warning signs," Conklin said. "Schools would provide age-appropriate education in the classroom, including warning signs about dating violence and characteristics of healthy relationships."
Conklin added that statistics show teen girls are three times more likely to experience relationship violence than adult women and one in five high school girls report being physically or sexually hurt by a dating partner.
The House also unanimously approved an amendment to Conklin's legislation that would name the bill the "Demi Brae Cuccia Law," after a Monroeville teen who lost her life as a result of dating violence.
"Unfortunately, Demi's story puts a face to all of the statistics, but it does help create an urgency to pass this legislation," said Conklin. "It is too late when the life of another teen is lost. We need to act now."
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