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HB2992 • 2026

pilot program; sexual abuse prevention

HB2992 - pilot program; sexual abuse prevention

Budget Children Education Parental Rights Technology
Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
Matt Gress
Last action
2026-03-25
Official status
Senate second read
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill text specifies that schools must submit reports by October 1, 2028, but does not state if these reports will be made public.

HB2992: Child Sexual Abuse and Assault Awareness Pilot Program

This bill creates a temporary program in six Arizona public schools to provide training for teachers and age-appropriate instruction for students on preventing, recognizing, and reporting child sexual abuse.

What This Bill Does

  • Establishes the Child Sexual Abuse and Assault Awareness and Prevention Pilot Program within the Arizona Department of Education until December 31, 2028.
  • Requires six public schools to be selected by July 1, 2027, for participation during the 2027-2028 school year.
  • Mandates at least four hours of in-person, evidence-based training for teachers on identifying abuse and grooming behaviors.
  • Requires participating schools to offer at least three hours of age-appropriate instruction for students in kindergarten through grade 12 about sexual abuse prevention.
  • Includes a uniform response policy based on best practices that may outline steps for victims to get assistance, counseling, and educational support.
  • Appropriates $100,000 from the state General Fund for fiscal year 2026-2027 to fund this program.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Six public schools selected by the Arizona Department of Education during the 2027-2028 school year.
  • Teachers and students in kindergarten through grade 12 at those six participating schools.
  • Parents or legal guardians who may exempt their children from all or part of the program with written notice.

Terms To Know

Grooming
A pattern of conduct used to gain a minor's trust, desensitize them to inappropriate actions, and facilitate exploitation.
Exploitation
The manipulation or use of a minor for sexual purposes, including trafficking or extortion.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This program is limited to only six public schools and ends on December 31, 2028.
  • Schools cannot force students to participate if their parents provide written notice of exemption.
  • The bill does not specify which organizations will be selected to create the curriculum or deliver the training.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

Adopted

Plain English: This amendment changes a pilot program on preventing child sexual abuse to include students from kindergarten through twelfth grade instead of just grades six through eight, while removing specific training details about grooming and exploitation.

  • The program now includes all public school students from kindergarten through twelfth grade, rather than only those in grades six through eight.
  • Training for teachers will focus on technology-facilitated abuse but removes the previous requirement to specifically teach about 'exploitation' and 'grooming'.
  • Student lessons are no longer required to include specific examples of grooming behaviors like manipulation or online sextortion, though they must still cover recognizing boundary violations.
  • The amendment updates legal definitions by removing the official text that defined what 'grooming' and 'exploitation' mean.
  • The exact content of the new student lessons is not fully detailed because specific examples were removed from the bill text.
  • It is unclear how schools will teach about abuse without using the previously listed terms like grooming or exploitation, as those definitions are no longer in this version.
Proposed

Plain English: This amendment changes a pilot program on preventing child sexual abuse to include students from kindergarten through twelfth grade instead of just grades six through eight, while also updating the specific training topics for teachers and students.

  • Expands the student instruction requirement to cover all grades from kindergarten through twelve, removing the previous limit that only included grades six through eight.
  • Updates teacher training requirements to focus on technology-facilitated abuse instead of listing specific definitions like grooming or exploitation in the main text.
  • Removes detailed lists defining 'grooming behaviors' and 'exploitation tactics' from the student instruction section, replacing them with a general requirement for age-appropriate materials.
  • Deletes the formal legal definitions for 'grooming' and 'exploitation' that were previously included at the end of Section 1.
  • The amendment text uses brackets to show changes but does not explain why specific terms like 'grooming behaviors' are being removed from student lessons.
  • It is unclear if removing the detailed list of grooming tactics means students will learn less about these topics or just that they will be taught differently.
Adopted

Plain English: This amendment changes a pilot program on preventing child sexual abuse to include students from kindergarten through twelfth grade instead of just grades six through eight, while removing specific definitions and detailed training topics about grooming.

  • The program now includes all public school students from kindergarten through twelfth grade, rather than only those in grades six through eight.
  • Specific details defining 'grooming' and 'exploitation,' along with a list of warning signs like secrecy or isolation, are removed from the bill text.
  • Training for teachers and resources for families will focus on technology-facilitated abuse without listing specific grooming behaviors as required topics.
  • The amendment removes detailed definitions that were previously in the bill, so it does not explain exactly how schools should define or teach about 'grooming' anymore.
  • While the text shows which words are added and removed, it does not provide new examples of what the training materials will look like without those specific lists.
Proposed

Plain English: This amendment changes a pilot program on preventing child sexual abuse to include students from first through twelfth grade instead of just sixth through eighth, while removing specific training details about grooming and exploitation.

  • The program will now cover students in grades one through twelve instead of only grades six through eight.
  • Training for teachers on identifying 'grooming' and 'exploitation' is removed from the required list of topics.
  • Student lessons no longer specifically require teaching about grooming behaviors or exploitation tactics.
  • The definition section explaining what 'grooming' and 'exploitation' mean has been deleted.
  • The amendment text does not explain why the specific terms regarding grooming were removed, only that they are no longer listed as required topics.
Adopted

Plain English: This amendment changes the source of funding for a new school safety program from a victim compensation fund to the state's general budget.

  • The $100,000 needed for the child sexual abuse prevention pilot program will now come from the State General Fund instead of the Victim Compensation and Assistance Fund.
Adopted

Plain English: This amendment makes it mandatory for Arizona schools to consult with experts and survivors when creating a new program that teaches students and teachers how to prevent sexual abuse.

  • The Department of Education must now work with the Department of Child Safety and groups run by survivors, instead of just having the option to do so.
  • Schools are required to hire specific organizations to create training for both teachers and students on recognizing grooming and exploitation.
  • Any organization hired must be focused on preventing abuse or trafficking, and their instructors must be either qualified experts or survivors themselves.
  • The new curriculum created by these groups must get official approval from the State Board of Education before it is used.
  • The provided text cuts off in the middle of a sentence listing who should give input on the program, so some specific stakeholder requirements are missing.
  • Because the full list of required stakeholders and detailed selection rules were not included in the snippet, those exact details cannot be explained.

Bill History

  1. 2026-03-25 Senate

    Senate second read

  2. 2026-03-24 Senate

    Senate Rules: None

  3. 2026-03-24 Senate

    Senate Appropriations, Transportation and Technology: DP

  4. 2026-03-24 Senate

    Senate first read

  5. 2026-03-18 Senate

    Transmitted to Senate

  6. 2026-03-18 House

    House third read passed

  7. 2026-03-17 House

    House amended committee of the whole

  8. 2026-03-17 House

    House passed

  9. 2026-03-02 House

    House passed

  10. 2026-03-02 House

    House third read failed

  11. 2026-02-25 House

    House committee of the whole

  12. 2026-02-24 House

    House minority caucus

  13. 2026-02-24 House

    House majority caucus

  14. 2026-02-09 House

    House second read

  15. 2026-02-05 House

    House Rules: C&P

  16. 2026-02-05 House

    House Appropriations: DPA

  17. 2026-02-05 House

    House Education: DPA

  18. 2026-02-05 House

    House first read

Official Summary Text

HB2992 - 572R - Senate Fact Sheet

Assigned to
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COMMITTEE

ARIZONA STATE SENATE

Fifty-Seventh
Legislature, Second Regular Session

FACT SHEET FOR
h.b. 2992

pilot program; sexual abuse prevention

Purpose

Establishes the Child Sexual Abuse and Assault Awareness and Prevention
Pilot Program (Pilot Program) in the Arizona Department of Education (ADE)
until December 31, 2028.

Background

Each school operated by a school district or charter school must post, in
a clearly visible location in a public area that is readily accessible to
students, a sign that contains: 1) the phone number of the Arizona Child Abuse
Hotline; 2) instructions to call 911 for emergencies; and

3) directions for accessing the Department of Child Safety (DCS) website for
more information on reporting child abuse, neglect and exploitation (
A.R.S.
� 15-160.01
).

H.B. 2992 appropriates $100,000 from
the state General Fund (state GF) in FY 2027 to ADE.

Provisions

1.

Establishes
the Pilot Program in ADE and requires ADE, by July 1, 2027, to select six
public schools to participate in the Pilot Program during the 2027-2028 school
year.

2.

Requires
ADE to consult with DCS and organizations that are operated by survivors of
grooming or human trafficking in developing the Pilot Program and the
curriculum.

3.

Requires
the Pilot Program to include, for teachers, at least four hours of in-person,
evidence-based instructional modules provided by a selected organization that
may include:

a)

training on the prevention and identification of and responses to child
sexual abuse and assault, including exploitation, grooming, grooming with the
intent to exploit and technology-facilitated abuse; and

b)

resources to further student, teacher and parental awareness and
prevention of child sexual abuse and assault, including exploitation, grooming,
grooming with the intent to exploit and technology-facilitated abuse.

4.

Requires
the Pilot Program to include, for students, at least three hours of
age-appropriate,

in-person, evidence-based instruction provided by the selected organization and

age-appropriate educational materials that are designed for children in K-12
relating to child sexual abuse and assault awareness and prevention, including
exploitation, grooming behaviors and grooming with the intent to exploit.

5.

Allows
the evidence-based instruction to include instruction in skills to recognize:

a)

child sexual abuse and assault;

b)

boundary violations and unwanted forms of contact;

c)

grooming behaviors, including manipulation, trust building secrecy,
desensitization and isolation;

d)

exploitation and grooming with the intent to exploit that includes
online grooming, sextortion and technology-facilitated exploitation; and

e)

patterns,
tactics and warning signs associated with grooming and exploitation.

6.

Allows
the evidence-based instruction to include instruction in strategies that:

a)

promote disclosure;

b)

reduce self-blame; and

c)

mobilize
bystanders.

7.

Requires
the Pilot Program to include a uniform child sexual abuse and assault response
policy and reporting procedures that are based on best practices and allows the
Pilot Program to include:

a)

actions that victims of child sexual abuse and assault may take to
obtain assistance;

b)

intervention and counseling options for victims of child sexual abuse
and assault;

c)

access to educational resources to enable victims of child sexual abuse
and assault to succeed in school; and

d)

uniform
procedures for reporting instances of child sexual abuse and assault to school
staff members.

8.

Allows ADE to contract with a provider to implement the Pilot Program if
the provider demonstrates it can meet the outlined requirements.

9.

Requires ADE to select one or more organizations to provide the
instructional modules for teachers, students or both.

10.

Requires ADE to select one
or more organizations to provide the instructional modules that:

a)

is organized and operated for the purpose of preventing child sexual
abuse, promoting grooming awareness or preventing human trafficking; and

b)

ensures
that the individuals that will provide instruction to teachers and students are
either qualified survivors of grooming or human trafficking or advocates that
have direct expertise in child sexual abuse, grooming and human trafficking
prevention.

11.

Requires
ADE, beginning on general effective date, to gather stakeholder input to
develop a curriculum for the Pilot Program that includes scheduling stakeholder
meetings.

12.

Requires ADE to solicit
input from representatives from:

a)

DCS;

b)

organizations that are organized and operated for the purpose of
preventing child sexual abuse, grooming or human trafficking; and

c)

survivors
of child sexual abuse, grooming and human trafficking.

13.

Requires
ADE to select an organization to develop the curriculum for the Pilot Program,
coordinate stakeholder input and ensure that the curriculum is
survivor-informed, prevention-focused and appropriate for students.

14.

Requires ADE to select an
organization to provide the Pilot Program curriculum that meets the following:

a)

is organized and operated for the purpose of preventing child sexual
abuse, grooming or human trafficking; and

b)

demonstrates
that the organization has experience providing survivor-informed prevention
education.

15.

Subjects
the curriculum for the Pilot Program to State Board of Education and ADE
approval.

16.

Prohibits
a participating public school from requiring any student to participate in the
Pilot Program.

17.

Specifies
written notification to the public school from a student's legal guardian or
parent is sufficient to exempt the student from participating in the Pilot
Program or from any portion of the Pilot Program that is specified.

18.

Requires that each
participating public school, by October 1, 2028, to submit a report to ADE and
provide a copy to DCS that includes:

a)

the number of students that received the evidence-based instruction
through the Pilot Program and the number of hours of instruction the selected
organization provided;

b)

the number of teachers that completed the evidence-based instructional
modules provided through the Pilot Program;

c)

any testimony or comments from teachers, students or the parents of
students relating to the Pilot Program; and

d)

whether
the school intends to continue providing instructional modules to teachers,
students or both through the selected organization in subsequent school years.

19.

Defines

grooming
and
exploitation
.

20.

Repeals
the Pilot Program on January 1, 2029.

21.

Appropriates
$100,000 from the state GF in FY 2027 to ADE for the Pilot Program.

22.

Exempts
the appropriation from lapsing.

23.

Becomes
effective on the general effective date.

House Action

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Prepared by Senate Research

March 27, 2026

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Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
HB2992 - 572R - H Ver

House Engrossed

pilot program; sexual
abuse prevention

State of Arizona

House of Representatives

Fifty-seventh Legislature

Second Regular Session

2026

HOUSE BILL 2992

AN
ACT

establishing the Child sexual abuse and assault
awareness and prevention pilot program; appropriating monies.

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

Be it
enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:

Section 1.
Child sexual
abuse and assault awareness and prevention pilot program; contract; provider;
curriculum development; parental exemption; reporting requirements; delayed
repeal; definitions

A. The child sexual abuse
and assault awareness and prevention pilot program is established in the
department of education. On or before July 1, 2027, the department shall select
six public schools to participate in the pilot program during the 2027-2028
school year.� The department of education
shall
consult with the department of child safety and organizations that are operated
by survivors of grooming or human trafficking
in
developing the pilot program established by this subsection
and the curriculum developed pursuant to subsection B,
paragraph 3 of this section.� The pilot program must include:

1. For teachers, at least
four hours of in-person, evidence-based instructional modules that
are provided by an organization
that is selected pursuant to subsection B, paragraph 2 of this section and that

may include the following:

(a) Training regarding the
prevention and identification of, and responses to, child sexual abuse and
assault, including
exploitation
,
grooming, grooming with the intent
to exploit and technology-facilitated abuse.

(b) Resources to further
student, teacher and parental awareness and prevention of child sexual abuse
and assault, including
exploitation
,
grooming, grooming with the intent
to exploit and technology-facilitated abuse.

2. For students, at least
three hours of
age-appropriate, in-person,
evidence-based instruction
provided by an
organization that is selected pursuant to subsection B, paragraph 2 of this
section and age-appropriate educational materials that are designed for
children in
kindergarten programs or any of grades

one through
twelve
regarding child sexual abuse and assault awareness and prevention
,
including exploitation, grooming
behaviors and grooming with the intent to exploit. The evidence-based
instruction provided pursuant to this paragraph may include instruction in:

(a) Skills to recognize the
following:

(i) Child sexual abuse and
assault.

(ii) Boundary violations
and unwanted forms of contact.

(iii) Grooming behaviors,
including manipulation, trust building, secrecy, desensitization and isolation.

(iv) Exploitation and
grooming with the intent to exploit, including online grooming, sextortion and
technology-facilitated exploitation.

(v) Patterns, tactics and
warning signs associated with grooming and exploitation.

(b) Strategies that:

(i) Promote disclosure.

(ii) Reduce self-blame.

(iii) Mobilize bystanders.

3. A uniform child sexual
abuse and assault response policy and reporting procedure that is based on best
practices and that may include:

(a) Actions that victims of
child sexual abuse and assault may take to obtain assistance.

(b) Intervention and
counseling options for victims of child sexual abuse and assault.

(c) Access to educational
resources to enable victims of child sexual abuse and assault to succeed in
school.

(d) Uniform procedures for
reporting instances of child sexual abuse and assault to school staff members.

B. The department of
education
:

1. May contract with a
provider to implement the pilot program established by subsection A of this
section if the provider demonstrates that the provider is able to meet all of
the requirements prescribed by subsection A of this section.

2. Shall select one or more
organizations to provide the instructional modules for teachers pursuant to
subsection A, paragraph 1 of this section or the instruction for students
pursuant to subsection A, paragraph 2 of this section, or both.� The department
shall select an organization pursuant to this paragraph only if the
organization meets both of the following:

(a) Is organized and
operated for the purpose of preventing child sexual abuse, promoting grooming
awareness or preventing human trafficking.

(b) Ensures that the
individuals who will provide instruction to teachers and students are either
qualified survivors of grooming or human trafficking or advocates who have
direct expertise in child sexual abuse, grooming and human trafficking
prevention.

3. Beginning on the
effective date of this section, shall gather stakeholder input to develop a
curriculum for the pilot program, including scheduling stakeholder meetings,
subject to the following:

(a) The department shall
solicit input from representatives of each of the following:

(i) The department of child
safety.

(ii) Organizations that are
organized and operated for the purpose of preventing child sexual abuse,
grooming or human trafficking.

(iii) Survivors of child
sexual abuse, grooming and human trafficking.

(b) The department shall
select an organization to develop the curriculum for the pilot program,
coordinate stakeholder input and ensure that the curriculum is survivor-informed,
prevention-focused and appropriate for students.� The department shall
select an organization that both:

(i) Is organized and
operated for the purpose of preventing child sexual abuse, grooming or human
trafficking.

(ii) Demonstrates that the
organization has experience providing survivor-informed prevention
education.

(c) The curriculum
developed pursuant to subdivision (b) of this paragraph is subject to approval
by the state board of education and the department of education.

C. A public school that
participates in the pilot program established by subsection A of this section
may not require any student to participate in the pilot program. Written
notification to the public school from
a student's
parent or legal guardian is sufficient to exempt the student from participating
in the pilot program or from any portion of the pilot program that the parent
or legal guardian specifies.

D. On or before October 1,
2028, each public school that participates in the pilot program established by
subsection A of this section shall submit a report to the department of
education and a copy of the report to the department of child safety that
includes all of the following:

1. The number of students
who received evidence-based instruction through the pilot program,
together with the number of hours of instruction that the
organization that is selected pursuant to subsection B,
paragraph 2 of this section provided.

2. The number of teachers
who completed the evidence-based instructional modules provided through
the pilot program.

3. Any testimony or
comments from teachers, students or the parents of students relating to the
pilot program.

4. Whether the school
intends to continue providing instructional modules to teachers or instruction
to students, or both,
through an organization
that is selected pursuant to subsection B, paragraph 2 of this section in
subsequent school years.

E. For the purposes of this
section:

1. "Grooming"
means a pattern of conduct used to gain a minor's trust, desensitize the minor
to inappropriate conduct and facilitate exploitation.

2. "Exploitation"
means the manipulation, abuse or use of a minor for sexual purposes, sexual
conduct, sexual trafficking, sexual extortion or other sexual abuse.

F. This section is repealed
from and after December 31, 2028.

Sec. 2.
Appropriation;
department of education; child sexual abuse and assault awareness and
prevention pilot program; exemption

A. The sum of $100,000 is
appropriated from the state general fund in fiscal year 2026-2027 to the
department of education for the child sexual abuse and assault awareness and
prevention pilot program established by this act.

B. The appropriation made
in subsection A of this section is exempt from the provisions of section
35-190, Arizona Revised Statutes, relating to lapsing of appropriations, until
June 30, 2028.