Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights (H 5499)

Though bullying is a scourge, a piece of legislation which would have statutorily created an “Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights” drew our opposition over concerns about its breadth, including provisions which would substantially increase the role of law enforcement personnel on school campuses and greatly expand the offenses under which a student could be given an out-of-school suspension or expelled. We noted that such harsh disciplinary protocols would likely disproportionately and negatively impact BIPOC students, students with disabilities, and LGBTQ+ students and urged rejection of the legislation. This bill died in committee.