The bill amends Chapter 16-21 of the General Laws by adding a new section titled "Bullying -- Directed community service." This section establishes a form of restorative justice designed to address acts of bullying in and around schools that are based on religious beliefs, sexual orientation, or ethnicity. The intent is to provide suitable sanctions for the bullying actions while promoting learning, knowledge, and insight to deter future bullying behavior.

The bill defines "bullying" in accordance with existing definitions and stipulates that a student who commits an act of bullying related to the religious beliefs, sexual orientation, or ethnicity of the victim may be required to perform up to ten hours of directed community service. This community service is intended to be educational and relevant to the nature of the bullying and can be imposed by a juvenile hearing board, school administration, or a combination of both. It is specified that directed community service shall not be deemed a criminal penalty.

The community service must be tailored to the specific bullying action, with an illustrative example provided: a student who has bullied another based on their Jewish faith or heritage could be required to perform community service at a Holocaust museum. Additionally, any community service imposed under this section must be completed within three months from the date of imposition. The act is designed to take effect immediately upon passage.