This bill establishes minimum safety standards for seclusion rooms in schools.
This bill:
- establishes minimum physical standards for seclusion rooms including room size, ceiling height, construction materials, and structural integrity requirements;
- requires proper lighting with fixtures located outside the room and controls that prevent student access;
- mandates adequate ventilation, heating, and cooling systems comparable to other school rooms;
- sets safety requirements including prohibition of dangerous objects, unbreakable windows, and specific door and locking mechanism standards;
- requires audio and video recording equipment that records all activities during seclusion;
- ensures compliance with federal and state student privacy laws;
- ensures compliance with state and local fire and building codes;
- applies standards to both existing seclusion rooms and any new school construction that includes seclusion rooms;
- gives the State Board of Education authority to adopt additional rules for safety standards, compliance verification, and program administration;
- integrates the new standards into existing policy, documentation, and enforcement requirements; and
- makes conforming changes.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 53G-8-301
Substitute #1: 53G-8-301
Substitute #2: 53G-8-301
Enrolled: 53G-8-301
Amended 3/6/2026 23:03:488: 53G-8-301
Substitute #3: 53G-8-301