This bill proposes to amend current statutes by requiring each school district governing board to adopt specific definitions related to bullying, cyberbullying, harassment, and intimidation as part of their policies and procedures. The current law mandates that governing boards must enforce policies to prohibit harassment, intimidation, and bullying, but does not provide detailed definitions. The new language will insert definitions for "bullying," "cyberbullying," "harassment," and "intimidation," clarifying the behaviors that fall under these categories and the contexts in which they occur, such as on school property or during school-related activities.

Additionally, the bill will delete the existing requirement for definitions of harassment and intimidation, replacing it with the new definitions that align with existing statutes. The updated definitions will specify the nature of bullying as either a single significant act or a pattern of acts that exploit an imbalance of power, and will include criteria for what constitutes cyberbullying. The bill also makes conforming and technical changes to ensure consistency across the governing board's policies. If enacted, this legislation will enhance the clarity and effectiveness of school behavior policies regarding bullying and related issues.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 12-121
Senate Engrossed Version: 15-341
House Engrossed Version: 15-341