I 
116TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 8460 
To prohibit the use of corporal punishment in schools, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
SEPTEMBER 30, 2020 
Mr. MCEACHIN (for himself and Ms. BONAMICI) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Education and Labor, and in 
addition to the Committee on Armed Services, for a period to be subse-
quently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such 
provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To prohibit the use of corporal punishment in schools, and 
for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the 
‘‘Protecting our Students in Schools Act of 2020’’. 
(b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents for 
this Act are as follows: 
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents. 
Sec. 2. Purposes. 
Sec. 3. Definitions. 
TITLE I—PROHIBITION OF CORPORAL PUNISHMENT 
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Sec. 101. Prohibition of corporal punishment. 
Sec. 102. Civil actions by the Attorney General. 
Sec. 103. Enforcement by the Office for Civil Rights. 
Sec. 104. Parent notification and protection and advocacy systems. 
TITLE II—STATE ACTIVITIES AND GRANT PROGRAM 
Sec. 201. State plan and enforcement. 
Sec. 202. Grant authority. 
TITLE III—ADDITIONAL PROVISIONS 
Sec. 301. Federal regulations. 
Sec. 302. Other schools. 
Sec. 303. Limitation of authority. 
Sec. 304. Applicability. 
Sec. 305. Severability. 
Sec. 306. Authorization of appropriations. 
SEC. 2. PURPOSES. 
The purposes of this Act are to— 
(1) eliminate the use of corporal punishment in 
schools; 
(2) ensure, regardless of sexual orientation, 
gender identity or expression, sex, race, color, na-
tional origin, disability, or religion, the health and 
safety of all students and program personnel in 
schools and promote a positive school climate and 
culture; 
(3) assist States, local educational agencies, 
and schools in improving school climate and culture 
by implementing positive behavioral interventions 
and supports and other models to address student 
behavior and work to eliminate the use of exclu-
sionary and aversive discipline practices or interven-
tions; 
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(4) ensure all program personnel have the sup-
ports and training necessary to implement positive 
behavioral interventions and supports and other 
models to address student behavior and improve 
school climate and culture; and 
(5) collect and analyze data on exclusionary and 
aversive discipline practices or interventions in 
schools. 
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) CORPORAL PUNISHMENT.—The term ‘‘cor-
poral punishment’’ means, with respect to a student, 
a deliberate act which causes the student to feel 
physical pain for the purpose of discipline, including 
an act of physical force, such as striking, spanking, 
or paddling, inflicted on a student’s body, requiring 
a student to assume a painful physical position, or 
the use of chemical sprays, electroshock weapon, or 
stun guns on a student’s body. 
(2) ESEA TERMS.—The terms ‘‘elementary 
school’’, ‘‘evidence-based’’, ‘‘local educational agen-
cy’’, ‘‘outlying area’’, ‘‘parent’’, ‘‘secondary school’’, 
‘‘Secretary’’, ‘‘State’’, and ‘‘State educational agen-
cy’’ have the meanings given the terms in section 
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8101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education 
Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801). 
(3) MODEL.—The term ‘‘model’’ means an ac-
tivity, strategy, framework, or intervention that is 
evidence-based, to the extent practicable. 
(4) PROGRAM.—The term ‘‘program’’ means all 
the operations of a local educational agency, system 
of vocational education, other school system, or pri-
vate school, any part of which receives Federal fi-
nancial assistance. 
(5) PROGRAM
PERSONNEL.—The term ‘‘pro-
gram personnel’’ means any agent of a program in-
cluding an individual who— 
(A) is employed by a program; 
(B) performs services for a program on a 
contractual basis; 
(C) is a school resource officer; or 
(D) is a school security guard. 
(6) PROTECTION AND ADVOCACY SYSTEM.—The 
term ‘‘protection and advocacy system’’ means a 
protection and advocacy system established under 
section 143 of the Developmental Disabilities Assist-
ance and Bill of Rights Act of 2000 (42 U.S.C. 
15043). 
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