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2005 SESSION

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HB 2266 Character education; harassment prevention required.

Introduced by: Robert B. Bell | all patrons    ...    notes | add to my profiles | history

SUMMARY AS PASSED HOUSE:

School boards; policies on bullying.  Directs the Board of Education to include bullying in its standards for school board policies on student conduct and requires school boards to include (i) instruction on the inappropriateness of bullying in their character education programs and (ii) bullying provisions in their student conduct codes.  In addition, the measure requires the reporting of incidents of stalking to principals and division superintendents.  Finally, except as may be prohibited by federal law, regulation, or jurisprudence, principals must report certain violent acts, stalking, and other conduct to parents of the minor student who is the target of the conduct; included in this report is disclosure that the incident has been reported to law enforcement, and that the parent may contact law enforcement for further information.  This bill is identical to HB 2879 (Marshall, R.G.).

SUMMARY AS INTRODUCED:

School boards; policies on bullying, harassment, and intimidation.  Requires school boards to include policies to prevent, prohibit, and control bullying, harassment, and intimidation in the character education program and their codes of student conduct. School board policies must address reporting of incidents; strategies for protecting victims; training for teachers, administrators, and other personnel; and education for students on bullying, harassment, and intimidation. The Bill also defines bullying, harassment, and intimidation, and requires the reporting of incidents of stalking to law enforcement. The principal must also report certain incidents that may constitute criminal offenses (that are currently reported to law-enforcement agencies) to the parents of the student who is the object of the behavior, with an attached copy of a concise description of the procedure for filing a juvenile petition and the process for contacting the local law-enforcement agency.