'Baby Olivia' bill passes Utah State House

Legislation requiring students to view prenatal development videos, like Live Action's "Baby Olivia," has passed the Utah State House of Representatives.

Key Takeaways:

• HB315 was introduced in January, sponsored by Utah Representatives Nicholeen Peck and Brady Brammer.

• It has now passed the House of Representatives and is headed to the Senate.

• The bill would require prenatal development videos, like "Baby Olivia," to be shown to students in fifth or sixth grade; parents would have the ability to opt out for their children.

• There are currently six states which have adopted "Baby Olivia" legislation.

The Details:

Under HB315, titled Human Growth and Development Instruction, fifth or sixth grade students would be required to view a high-definition video, lasting at least three minutes, that educates students on the science of human prenatal development. If passed, it would take effect in the 2027-2028 school year; parents who oppose their children seeing the videos would be able to opt out.

The videos would be required to show the process of fertilization, and how the preborn child develops inside the uterus. The age of the preborn child along with specific milestones and developments would need to be included through birth, featuring organs like the brain and heart.

The legislation states:

(i)Beginning with the 2027-2028 school year, each LEA shall ensure that the instruction on human development includes, at a minimum, a high-definition video of at least three minutes in duration that:

(A) shows the process of fertilization and each stage of human development inside the uterus, noting conceptual age and significant markers in cell growth and organ development for every stage of pregnancy until birth;

(B) may include a high-definition ultrasound showing the development of the brain, heart, sex organs, and other vital organs in early fetal development; and

(C) the state board approves from an organization that offers the video free of charge.(ii)The state board shall publish a list of materials the state board approves for use in providing instruction under this Subsection (2)(g) on the state board's publicly 146accessible website. (iii)Upon request, an LEA or school shall make available to the parent of a student enrolled in the LEA or school any instructional materials the LEA or school uses in accordance with this Subsection (2)(g).(iv)Each LEA shall provide an annual assurance to the state board that the LEA is in 151compliance with this Subsection (2)(g).

Though Live Action's "Baby Olivia" is presented as an example what is acceptable, educators are not required to use that specific video. Ultrasounds are also offered in the language of the bill, for example, so long as the pertinent information is being dated and explained.

A Never Before Seen Look At Human Life In The Womb | Baby Olivia

Commentary:

“I went through maturation and health, but never once did anybody talk about the development of a baby,” said Rep. Nicholeen Peck when presenting the bill. “We’ve been talking a lot this year about our fertility crisis in our state, and I think this type of training would help people understand more about babies and the beauty of babies.”

The Cleveland Observer quoted Right to Life Action Coalition of Ohio Kate Makra, who stated in favor of the legislation: “This is factual material. This is biology. If we teach life cycles of plants and animals, why aren’t we teaching humans from conception?”

Upon the bill's passage in the House, Rep. Peck said it was a "big win for Utah!"

"We don’t have videos showing conceptual age yet. Baby Olivia is a beautiful and accurate teaching tool!" Peck added. "This will add so much to human development education in our state! Now, we just need to get the bill through the Senate."

Zoom Out:

Over the last two years, "Baby Olivia" legislation has been passed in six states: Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, North Dakota, and Tennessee. As Live Action News previously explained, these bills “do not replace sex-ed curricula; they add prenatal development as a required part of instruction.” 

"Baby Olivia" and her counterpart, "Baby Oliver," are computer-generated 3D animations showing how preborn humans develop in the womb. Key moments, including the start of brain activity and the heartbeat, are highlighted.

The videos were created with help from a panel of medical doctors, including experts in embryonic and fetal development: Dr. David Bolender; Dr. Donna Harrison; Dr. Tara Sander Lee; Dr. Katrina Furth; Dr. Michelle Cretella; and Dr. Jeffrey Barrows, DO, MA, all of whom endorsed the project.

Additionally, much of the information in the videos comes from the Endowment for Human Development (EHD), a “nonprofit organization dedicated to improving health science education and public health,” which remains neutral on bioethics issues. EHD's prenatal development DVD featuring the same kinds of milestones (using dates beginning from fertilization onward, like "Olivia") is distributed by National Geographic.

A Never-Before-Seen Look at Life’s First Moments | Baby Oliver

Reality Check:

The opposition to prenatal development education as part of sex education has been fierce. The Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States (SIECUS - Sex Ed for Social Change) stands in opposition to such legislation, though its claims about it are on shaky ground.

It has histrionically referred to "Baby Olivia" legislation as "medically inaccurate," "forced ultrasound videos,” with material that "strips context, reinforces misinformation, and frames pregnancy and childbearing as inevitable outcomes rather than choices."

It claims that learning about human development in the womb is "fear-based instruction that denies young people accurate, empowering, and medically sound information about their health, autonomy, and futures" (emphases added).

What's Next:

The bill now heads to the Senate in Utah for consideration.