proposes a bill that touts itself as promoting medically accurate sex education & abstinence programs. "This Washington State medical accuracy bill is an attempt to censor parents and children from receiving an abstinence-until-marriage message," warned Leslee Unruh, pres of Abstinence Clearinghouse. "This bill is not about medical accuracy at all. It is about censoring the healthy message of abstinence-until-marriage." Unruh sees the bill being used by Planned Parenthood in a long-term plan to end abstinence-until-marriage across the country, if it is allowed to pass. WA State Senate Bill 6506 would require that abstinence programs meet the approval of "leading professional organizations and agencies with relevant expertise in the field." A joint legislative oversight committee will be given authority to review Title V, SPRANS/ Title XX contracts awarded to groups working in the state of WA. Pro-comprehensive sex education forces in the committee, the Dept of Health & the Department of Education will be given power to reject any abstinence-until-marriage program adopted by local school boards. The biggest supporter of the bill (and silent author), Planned Parenthood, is attacking strong abstinence programs such as SHARE to discredit its growing popularity in the state. "This is clearly an attempt to stifle abstinence-till-marriage programs. Abstinence education is working and receiving money. Pro-sex groups can not allow abstinence-until-marriage to succeed. They are desperate and will try anything." Unruh said. "Planned Parenthood cries out censorship – unless they are the ones censoring," said Amy Stephens, former manager of abstinence education & outreach at Focus on the Family. "They’ve tried it in other states. This bill must be stopped." [Abstinence Clearinghouse E-Mail Update, 31Jan02;for info: Christina - 605-335-3643]