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• Introduced by Rep. Aldo Vagnozzi (D) on January 23, 2007, to require schools to adopt a policy prohibiting harassment, intimidation, or bullying; and to require the Department of Education to develop a model policy. The bill also requires schools to train staff in the policy they adopt. The model policy would establish that prohibited harassment, intimidation, or bullying includes a gesture or written, verbal, or physical act that is reasonably perceived as being motivated by religion, race, color, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, height, weight, or socioeconomic status, or by any other distinguishing characteristic.
  • Referred to the House Education Committee on January 23, 2007.
    • Reported in the House on March 20, 2007, with the recommendation that the substitute (H-1) be adopted and that the bill then pass.
  • Substitute offered in the House on March 28, 2007, replace the previous version of the bill with one that does not require schools to train staff in the policy they adopt, and does not contain the many specific mandates contained in the original bill, which were found objectionable by school districts, and caused concern regarding a potential violation of the Headlee amendment ban on unfunded mandates from the state. Instead, districts would be encouraged to adopt the definition of bullying from the model anti-bullying policy adopted by the state board of education on Sept. 12, 2006. The substitute passed by voice vote in the House on March 28, 2007.
  • Amendment offered by Rep. Jacob Hoogendyk, Jr. (R) on March 28, 2007, to encourage school districts to notify parents of the Department of Education’s model policy, and to include parents in the implementation of the school’s anti-bullying policy. The amendment passed 109 to 0 in the House on March 28, 2007.
    Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"
• Passed 66 to 43 in the House on March 28, 2007, to require the Department of Education to develop and disseminate a model policy that prohibits harassment or bullying at school; and “strongly encourage” the boards of a school districts or charter schools to adopt the model policy, and to work with local law enforcement agencies and parents in its implementation.
  Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"
• Received in the Senate on April 17, 2007.
  • Referred to the Senate Education Committee on April 17, 2007.
    • Reported in the Senate on December 10, 2008, with the recommendation that the bill pass.