Md. House approves yes means yes requirement for sex education

Maryland’s House of Delegates on Saturday approved legislation that would require public schools to teach a “yes means yes” standard for sexual consent, moving the state one step closer to becoming only the second to adopt such a mandate.

The measure was among a long list of bills the Democratic-led House approved in a busy floor session lasting more than three hours, with a Monday deadline looming for “crossover day.” That refers to the date by which measures must advance out of at least one chamber to have the best chance of reaching the governor’s desk.

The House also passed legislation that would make Maryland the first state to prohibit public and private colleges from including questions about criminal history on their applications. Admissions offices would be able to ask accepted students whether they have been convicted of a crime, but the bill would bar them from withdrawing an offer of admission based on the answer.

Additionally, the chamber approved a measure that would make smoking marijuana in a vehicle a criminal offense rather than a civil infraction, as it is under current law. It also gave preliminary approval to Republican Gov. Larry Hogan’s $4.7 billion capital budget, with minor changes.

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/md-politics/md-house-approves-yes-means-yes-requirement-for-sex-education/2017/03/18/b8c1759e-0c0e-11e7-a15f-a58d4a988474_story.html