Wednesday, February 17, 2010
COLUMBUS — Gov. Ted Strickland has signed into law a bill sponsored by state Rep. Sandra Stabile Harwood of Niles, D-65th, to teach teens about the dangers of abusive dating relationships.
The new law will become effective March 29. It will be known as “Tina’s Law” after Tina Croucher, an 18-year-old Cincinnati-area teen murdered by her former boyfriend in 1992. Tina’s parents, Elsa and Jim, were with the governor and Stabile Harwood at the ceremonial signing today at the Statehouse.
Stabile Harwood’s legislation will require school districts to adopt a dating violence prevention policy and include age-appropriate dating violence prevention education within the health curriculum for grades seven through 12. The Ohio Board of Education is creating a model dating violence policy.