Louisanna Announces New Law
WONDERFUL progress in Lousianna! Louisiana recently passed HB 46 sponsored by Rep. Nita Hutter, a member of the National Foundation of Women Legislators (NFWL), which requires teen dating violence education in grades 7-12 in the health curriculum. The law was passed as a collaborative effort as Rep. Hutter worked with Love Is Not Abuse Coalition member Louisiana Appleseed, a non-profit organization made up of pro bono lawyers that supports social change. The Louisiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence and the Louisiana Dept. of Education also supported passage of this law. Passage of a law is the first and perhaps the most important step toward prevention through education. But the work does not end there. Proper implementation of such a law is not always easy and requires much planning and work to make it successful. Although not required by law, Louisiana quickly recognized the need for teacher training on the topic of teen dating violence and training on how to teach the topic, as...