What is Erin’s Law?
Erin’s Law is named after childhood sexual assault survivor, author, speaker and activist Erin Merryn, who is the founder and President of Erin’s Law, which is registered with the State of Illinois and the IRS as a 501 (c)(4) non-profit social welfare organization.
After Erin introduced the legislation in her home state of Illinois, the bill was named “Erin’s Law” after her by legislators and it has caught on nationwide. Illinois is the first state by law to mandate child sexual abuse prevention. Vermont state board of education required this in schools since 2009. As of January 2023 Erin’s Law has been passed in 38 states. Check out Erin’s interview on CNN from 2018.
“Erin’s Law” requires that all public schools in each state implement a prevention-oriented child sexual abuse program which teaches:
- 1
Students in grades preK – 12th grade, age-appropriate techniques to recognize child sexual abuse and tell a trusted adult
- 2
School personnel all about child sexual abuse
- 3
Parents & guardians the warning signs of child sexual abuse, plus needed assistance, referral or resource information to support sexually abused children and their families
Already these state governments have passed Erin’s Law (in this order):
- Vermont (State Board of Education has been requiring this since 2009)
- Illinois
- Missouri
- Indiana
- Maine
- Michigan
- Arkansas
- Mississippi
- Nevada
- New Mexico
- Utah
- Tennessee
- New Hampshire
- Connecticut
- Louisiana
- South Carolina
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- California
- West Virginia
- Oklahoma
- Colorado
- Oregon
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Maryland
- Delaware
- North Dakota
- Montana
- Minnesota
- Texas
- Wyoming
- Washington
- Virginia
- Georgia
- New Jersey
- New York
- Ohio
It is now pending in these additional states, with more to come:
- Massachusetts
- Florida
- Kentucky
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Nebraska
- South Dakota
- Hawaii
- Arizona
- Idaho
- North Carolina
- Wisconsin
