PASSED THE SENATE: Senators Hassan, Cornyn, and Colleagues’ Bill to Help Prevent Child Abuse

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Senate unanimously passed a bipartisan bill introduced by U.S. Senators John Cornyn (R-TX), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Mike Braun (R-IN), and Ben Ray Luján (D-NM) to 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. The bill is named for Jenna Quinn, a Texan and child abuse survivor.

“We must work together to prevent the sexual abuse of children,” said Senator Hassan. “I was proud to help introduce this bipartisan legislation that provides people who work with children the training that they need to prevent, recognize, and report child sexual abuse, and am glad to see it pass unanimously in the Senate. I urge my colleagues in the House to help us keep children safe by supporting this commonsense bill.”

“Congress must ensure every state has robust resources to train those who work with our children on how to identify and prevent the vicious cycle of child sexual abuse,” said Senator Cornyn. “This legislation, inspired by Texan Jenna Quinn, would give students, teachers, and caregivers more tools to protect vulnerable children nationwide, and I urge my colleagues in the House to pass it without delay.”

The Jenna Quinn Law, which also passed the Senate unanimously last Congress, would:

• Authorize federal grants to eligible entities for increasing evidence-based or evidence-informed training on sexual abuse prevention education and reporting to teachers and school employees, students, caregivers, and other adults who work with children
• 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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