The bill aims to enhance student safety in public schools by prohibiting harmful practices such as chemical restraint, mechanical restraint, and isolation, particularly for students in prekindergarten through grade five. It establishes clear definitions for terms related to behavior management and emphasizes the necessity of staff training in crisis prevention and response. The legislation mandates that any use of restraint or isolation must be closely monitored and only applied when there is an imminent likelihood of serious harm. It also prohibits the use of certain interventions when contraindicated by a student's documented needs and ensures that neither students nor their guardians can consent to these prohibited practices.

Additionally, the bill introduces new requirements for school district boards, including annual monitoring of policies related to isolation and restraint, and mandates the development of comprehensive training plans aimed at reducing these practices. It requires timely notifications to parents following incidents of restraint or isolation and establishes follow-up procedures to review these incidents. The bill also emphasizes trauma-informed practices and mandates training for paraeducators in recognizing emotional distress. Furthermore, it includes provisions for funding educational service districts to support the implementation of best practices and repeals outdated provisions related to professional development institutes.

Statutes affected:
Original Bill: 28A.600.485, 28A.600.486, 28A.155.210, 28A.320.127, 28A.320.125, 28A.410.270, 28A.155.250, 28A.415.330