HR 7492 · 117th Congress 2021–2023, ended

Protecting Innocence in Education Act

Introduced Apr 11, 2022 Originated House Sponsor Lance Gooden R-TX

Latest action · Nov 1, 2022 Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security.

Progress

Where this bill reached, and when. A stage with no date was not reached; one that failed a vote and later carried shows the date it carried.

IntroducedApr 11, 2022
Passed HouseNot reached
Passed SenateNot reached
To the PresidentNot reached
Became lawNot reached

Summary

Protecting Innocence in Education Act

This bill prohibits federally mandated sex education in elementary schools.

Specifically, the bill prohibits the Department of Education (ED) from (1) requiring states, local educational agencies, or elementary schools to implement federal policies relating to sex education in elementary schools; or (2) punishing these entities (e.g., withholding federal funds or levying fines) for failing to implement or carry out these federal policies.

Additionally, the bill prohibits the Task Force on Sexual Violence in Education from (1) developing recommendations for these entities with respect to sex education in elementary schools; or (2) assessing ED's ability to levy intermediate fines for noncompliance with Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in federally funded education programs or activities.

Cosponsors 17

Members who signed on, in the order they did. Signatures ran from Apr 11, 2022 to Dec 30, 2022; 5 are original cosponsors, there from the day it was introduced.

Seat	Cosponsor		Signed on
R-TX	Jake Ellzey	Original	Apr 11, 2022
R-SC	Jeff Duncan	Original	Apr 11, 2022
R-TX	Louie Gohmert	Original	Apr 11, 2022
R-TX	Randy K. Weber, Sr.	Original	Apr 11, 2022
R-WI	Thomas P. Tiffany	Original	Apr 11, 2022
R-MD	Andy Harris		Apr 14, 2022
R-TX	Brian Babin		Apr 14, 2022
D-NJ	Jefferson Van Drew		Apr 14, 2022
R-IL	Rodney Davis		Apr 14, 2022
R-TX	Ronny Jackson		May 6, 2022
R-NC	Ted Budd		May 6, 2022
R-VA	Ben Cline		May 13, 2022
R-AL	Mo Brooks		Jun 7, 2022
R-PA	Fred Keller		Aug 30, 2022
R-CO	Lauren Boebert		Aug 30, 2022
R-LA	Mike Johnson		Sep 14, 2022
R-AZ	Debbie Lesko		Dec 30, 2022

Committees 2

Where it was sent and what each committee and subcommittee did with it, in order.

Chamber	Committee	What it did
House	Education and Workforce Committee	Referred Apr 11, 2022
House	Judiciary Committee	Referred Apr 11, 2022
	Crime and Federal Government Surveillance Subcommittee	Referred Nov 1, 2022

Actions 3

Everything that happened, newest first.

Nov 1, 2022Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security.
Apr 11, 2022Introduced in House
Apr 11, 2022Referred to the Committee on Education and Labor, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

Research

What has been written about this bill: committee reports, cost estimates, the sponsor’s authority statement, printed hearings and the Congressional Research Service’s work.

Constitutional authority

Congress has the power to enact this legislation pursuant to the following: The Constitutional authority on which this bill rests is the power of Congress to lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts, and excises to pay the debts and provide for the common Defense and general welfare of the United States, as enumerated in Article I, Section 8, Clause 1. Thus, Congress has the authority not only to increase taxes, but also, to reduce taxes to promote the general welfare of the United States of America and her citizens. Additionally, Congress has the Constitutional authority to regulate commerce among the States and with Indian Tribes, as enumerated in Article I, Section 8, Clause 3.

The sponsor’s statement, as printed in the Congressional Record, vol. 168, no. 63, April 11, 2022, page H4438.

Titles 2

Every title it has carried, official and short, at each stage.

Official Title as Introduced: To prohibit the Department of Education from punishing States, local educational agencies, or elementary schools for failure to implement or carry out certain Federal policies relating to sex education in elementary schools, and for other purposes.
Short Title(s) as Introduced: Protecting Innocence in Education Act

Subjects

Assigned by the Library of Congress. Policy area: Education.

Education

Text 1

Each version as it was printed, newest first.

Apr 11, 2022Introduced in House

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Everything here is as published by Congress: the summary is the Congressional Research Service's, the action wording is the clerks', and the subjects are the Library of Congress's. How far it got is read from the actions themselves, taking the most recent one of each kind, so a bill that failed a vote and later passed is shown as having passed. Records come from this bill on Congress.gov and govinfo.gov; cost estimates are the Congressional Budget Office's, and the hearings are the printed hearings GovInfo publishes, which can appear months after the hearing.