0190-sb 0360

CHAPTER 190

SB 360 - FINAL VERSION

AN ACT adopting a pupil safety and violence prevention act.

SPONSORS: Sen. Trombly, Dist 7; Sen. Larsen, Dist 15; Rep. Buckley, Hills 44

This bill requires that each school district adopt, implement, and enforce its own pupil safety and violence prevention policy and provides that the state board of education shall issue a technical assistance advisory to school districts offering guidance on how to proceed.

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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

AN ACT adopting a pupil safety and violence prevention act.

Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

190:1 New Chapter; Pupil Safety and Violence Prevention. Amend RSA by inserting after chapter 193-E the following new chapter:

193-F:1 Title. This chapter shall be known, and may be cited as the "Pupil Safety and Violence Prevention Act of 2000."

193-F:2 Purpose and Intent. The general court hereby finds that all pupils have the right to attend public schools that are safe, secure, and peaceful. One of the legislature's highest priorities must be to protect our children from violence by dealing with harassment, including "bullying", in our public schools.

I. Each local school board shall adopt a pupil safety and violence prevention policy which addresses pupil harassment, also known as "bullying", and which is consistent with the provisions of this chapter.

II. Any school employee, or employee of a company under contract with a school or school district, who has witnessed or has reliable information that a pupil has been subjected to insults, taunts, or challenges, whether verbal or physical in nature, which are likely to intimidate or provoke a violent or disorderly response shall report such incident to the principal, or designee who shall in turn report the incident to the superintendent.

III. The remedy required in paragraph II shall be defined by the local school board. The local school board may provide opportunities for educators to have the knowledge and skills to prevent and respond to acts covered by this chapter.

IV. A school employee, or employee of a company under contract with a school or school district, who has reported violations under this chapter to the principal, or designee or who has intervened under paragraph II, shall be immune from any cause of action which may arise from the failure to remedy the reported incident.

193-F:4 Specific Curriculum Not Required. Nothing in this chapter requires the inclusion of any curriculum, textbook, presentation, or other material in any program or activity conducted by an educational institution. The omission of any curriculum, textbook, presentation, or other material in any program or activity conducted by an educational institution is not a violation of this chapter.

190:2 New Paragraph; Duties of the State Board of Education; Technical Assistance Advisory Relative to Pupil Safety and Violence Prevention Added. Amend RSA 186:11 by inserting after paragraph XXXV the following new paragraph:

XXXVI. PUPIL SAFETY AND VIOLENCE PREVENTION. Develop and distribute to school districts a technical assistance advisory for the purpose of providing guidance to school districts on the implementation of pupil safety and violence prevention policies as required under RSA 193-F.