The Assembly passed a bill Tuesday that clarifies state guidelines for sex education in public schools.

The vote comes on the heels of survey results released last week that showed a majority of California public schools are out of compliance with state sex education laws.

"That is no fault of the school districts," said Steve Smith, spokesman for Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California. "The education code has 11 different sections to follow. It is far too confusing."

In response to the confusion, Planned Parenthood Affiliates and the American Civil Liberties Union sponsored Senate Bill 71, authored by state Sen. Sheila Kuehl, D-Los Angeles.

This bill merges the 11 laws regarding sex education in the state's education code into one comprehensive, cohesive piece of legislation, said Planned Parenthood Shasta-Diablo spokeswoman Heather Hoell, who works with Solano County school districts.

Hoell said Vallejo and other Solano County districts are in compliance.

"To be in compliance, sex education must be medically accurate and free of race and gender bias," Hoell said. She added that sex education also must be comprehensive and age-appropriate.

The statewide survey, which was not broken down by district, represented 47 percent of the unified school districts in California. The survey asked if districts are offering the mandatory number of sex education and HIV/AIDS prevention classes, one for middle school and one for high school.

Phyllida Burlingame, primary researcher for the survey, said "overall, 85 percent of the districts were in compliance with one aspect or another of the education code, but 48 percent don't cover required topics."

Sex education topics include use of condoms, abstinence, use of contraception and a required class about HIV in both middle school and high school.

In Vallejo, middle and high school students receive the mandatory lessons on HIV prevention, said Jewel Fink, consultant to the Vallejo City Unified School District's prevention program.

"It's hardly a comprehensive program," Fink said.

Sex education, Fink said, is part of the ninth grade science curriculum and health classes.

"The perfect vehicle (for sex education) is the school nurse, but given all the other things they have to do ... it is an impossible task," Fink said.

The eight nurses in the Vallejo school district serve more than 20,000 students.

"How do you have time to deliver service, let alone (deliver) any prevention education?" Fink said.

A district program called Promoting Awareness-Presenting Alternatives (PAPA) focuses on teen pregnancy prevention and related student health issues. It is funded by a grant through the California Department of Health Services.

Arthur Camargo is the senior health educator for PAPA, which is located at Vallejo High School. "Last year we were somewhat limited when it came to sex education," he said. "We try to add input and expertise in the ninth grade health classes and are asked to do presentations (throughout the district)."

Camargo said each school has a different policy depending on its teachers and principal.

The bill goes back to the Senate as early as today for a vote. The measure then goes to the governor's desk for consideration.