Assembly Bill 500 seeks to expand the prohibition of corporal punishment in educational settings by applying it not only to public schools but also to charter schools and private schools. The bill amends existing statutes to clarify the definition of corporal punishment, which includes actions such as paddling and slapping, and specifies that it does not include actions consistent with individualized education programs or reasonable physical activities related to athletic training. The bill also introduces new definitions for "governing body" and "school," ensuring that the prohibition is uniformly applied across different types of educational institutions.

Key amendments include the renumbering and clarification of definitions within the law, as well as the replacement of the term "school board" with "governing body of a school" throughout the relevant sections. This change emphasizes that all governing bodies, whether for public, charter, or private schools, are subject to the same regulations regarding corporal punishment. The bill also stipulates that each governing body must adopt a policy allowing reasonable and necessary force in specific circumstances, while ensuring that no separate civil liability is created for governing bodies or their officials regarding claims of improper use of force against pupils.

Statutes affected:
Bill Text: 118.305(3)(e), 118.305, 118.31(2), 118.31, 118.31(3)(intro.), 118.31(4), 118.31(5), 118.31(6)