SIGNED INTO LAW: Senators Hassan and Cornyn's Bipartisan Bill to Help Prevent Child Abuse

AUSTIN - U.S. Senators John Cornyn (R-TX), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), and Ben Ray Luján (D-NM) released the following statements after their Jenna Quinn Law, which would allow current grant funds to be used to train and educate students, teachers, caregivers, and other adults who work with children in a professional or volunteer capacity on how to prevent, recognize, and report child sexual abuse, was signed into law earlier this week. The bill is named for Jenna Quinn, a Texan and child abuse survivor, and is modeled after successful reforms passed by the Texas Legislature in 2009.

"Inspired by Texan Jenna Quinn, our landmark legislation modeled after successful reforms in Texas will ensure every student, teacher, and caregiver across the country has the tools to recognize and prevent abuse of vulnerable children," said Sen. Cornyn. "This law is years in the making, and I want to thank the bill's namesake, Jenna Quinn, Representatives Moran and McCaul, and all of my colleagues in Congress for their support."

"Members of both parties are united in our mission to find additional ways to keep children safe from sexual abuse," said Sen. Hassan. "Our bipartisan legislation will help ensure that parents, teachers, and other community members receive evidence-based training to help protect children from sexual abuse."

"Every child deserves protection from abuse. Ensuring all adults, teachers, and caregivers are equipped with the knowledge to identify, prevent, and report child sexual abuse is a necessary and life-saving mechanism," said Sen. Luján. "Jenna's Law is implemented across several states - including New Mexico - and should be federally recognized. I'm proud that this legislation was signed into law, bringing us one step closer to providing funding to train and educate students, teachers, and parents on best practices to prevent and report abuse."

Sen. Mike Braun (R-IN) also cosponsored this legislation, and Representatives Nathaniel Moran (TX-01), Michael McCaul (TX-10), and Susan Wild (PA-07) led the legislation in the House.

Background:

Jenna Quinn has been an outspoken advocate for survivors of child sexual abuse and was the driving force behind what is now known as Jenna's Law in Texas. Unanimously passed by the Texas Legislature, Jenna's Law was the first child sexual abuse prevention law in the U.S. that mandates K-12 trainings for students and school staff and was amended in 2017 to include sex trafficking prevention education in schools. More than half of all states have adopted a form of Jenna's Law.

After Jenna's Law passed in Texas in 2009, a study found educators reported child sexual abuse at a rate almost four times greater after training than during their pre-training career. The Jenna Quinn Law will:

• Authorize federal grants to eligible entities for increasing evidence-based or informed training on sexual abuse prevention education and reporting to teachers and school employees, students, caregivers, and other adults who work with children;
• And ensure these grant recipients coordinate with local educational agencies to train students, professionals, and volunteers who work with students on sexual abuse prevention, recognition, and reporting.

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