Anti-bullying bills advance to IN House

INDIANAPOLIS (WANE) - Two bills aimed at strengthening Indiana's anti-bullying laws advanced out of committee Monday.

House Bill 1423 would set up parameters for school districts in reporting bullying incidents. The bill, if passed, would require schools to report the number and nature of bullying incidents annually to the Indiana Department of Education.

It would also require schools to develop and implement bullying prevention programs for grades 1 through 12.

The bill would mandate training for employees and volunteers who have direct, ongoing contact with students concerning the school's bullying prevention reporting policy.

The bill also adds to the definition of "bullying" currently outlined in Indiana Code.

The following is excerpted language from Indiana Code on bullying. Bold text donates changes that H.B. 1423 would add to existing law.

As used in this chapter, "bullying" means overt, repeated acts or gestures, including (1) verbal or written communications transmitted in any manner (including digitally or electronically), (2) physical acts committed, aggression, or (3) any other behaviors committed by a student or group of students against another student with the intent to harass, ridicule, humiliate, intimidate, or harm the other targeted student and create for the targeted student an objectively hostile school environment that:
        (1) places the targeted student in reasonable fear of harm to the targeted student's person or property;
         (2) has a substantially detrimental effect on the targeted student's physical or mental health;
        (3) has the effect of substantially interfering with the targeted student's academic performance; or
        (4) has the effect of substantially interfering with the targeted student's ability to participate in or benefit from the services, activities, and privileges provided by the school.

The added language means H.B. 1423 would add cyberbullying to the current definition of bullying.

The Indiana House Education Committee also advanced H.B. 1015 that would give school districts the authority to discipline students who commit acts of bullying (or delinquent, criminal, or tortious act) against another student or a teacher off of school property.

The bill would allow for such discipline for an act that is committed during weekends, holidays, school breaks, and summer recess when a student may not be attending classes or other school functions.

Opponents of the bill said it violates students' First Amendment rights. Supports said the bill is targeted at students who bully online.

A similar bill was defeated last year because critics argued it was to broad.