STOP Bullying Act
Bill: H.R.549 | Sponsor: Rep. Krishnamoorthi, Raja (D-IL)
Policy area: Education

Summary:
STOP Bullying Act
This bill requires the Department of Education to make grants for each state to establish a task force to study, address, and reduce bullying in elementary and secondary schools.

To amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to 
establish a grant program that will support efforts at the State level 
 to establish anti-bullying task forces to study, address, and reduce 
 bullying in elementary and secondary schools, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``STOP Bullying Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    The Congress finds the following:
            (1) Between one in four and one in three students in the 
        United States report being bullied at school, and over 70 
        percent of young people say they have seen bullying in their 
        schools.
            (2) Since most instances of bullying take place on school 
        grounds, school staff and teachers play an instrumental role in 
        bullying prevention.
            (3) Research shows that engaged educators who are 
        supportive of all students help to reduce the overall presence 
        of bullying and harassment on school grounds.
            (4) 87.3 percent of transgender students report feeling 
        unsafe at school, and nine out of ten students who identify as 
        lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer (LGBTQ) report 
        being harassed and bullied every year.
            (5) Hostile school environments have a detrimental effect 
        on the academic success and health of students.
            (6) Law in effect before the date of the enactment of this 
        Act does not sufficiently address bullying prevention, and 
        governments and educators in every State have a responsibility 
        to ensure State and local education systems have processes in 
        place for students to be able to learn in a safe environment, 
        regardless of their actual or perceived race, color, national 
        origin, sex, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, 
        or religion.

SEC. 3. STATE ANTI-BULLYING TASK FORCE REQUIREMENT.

    Subpart 2 of part F of title VIII of the Elementary and Secondary 
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7881 et seq.) is amended by adding at 
the end the following:

``SEC. 8549D. STATE ANTI-BULLYING TASK FORCE GRANTS.

    ``(a) Anti-Bullying Task Force Grant Program.--The Secretary shall 
carry out a program to make grants to each State to establish and 
implement a task force to study, address, and reduce bullying in 
elementary schools and secondary schools.
    ``(b) Use of Funds.--Each State task force established under a 
grant under this section shall use the grant funds to conduct a study 
on bullying in the elementary schools and secondary schools of such 
State that includes--
            ``(1) policies of the local educational agencies in such 
        State with respect to bullying;
            ``(2) teacher, parent, and student education with respect 
        to bullying; and
            ``(3) the incidents of student violence and self-harm as a 
        result of bullying.
    ``(c) Membership.--
            ``(1) Chair.--Each Chief Education Officer of a State shall 
        designate one individual to serve as the chair of the task 
        force of such State.
            ``(2) Composition.--Each State shall designate at least one 
        individual from each of the following categories to serve on 
        the task force of such State:
                    ``(A) At least one teacher at elementary schools 
                and secondary schools selected in consultation with the 
                union or association representing educators.
                    ``(B) At least one school administrator.
                    ``(C) At least one parent of students.
                    ``(D) At least one K-12 student.
                    ``(E) At least one guidance counselor.
                    ``(F) At least one child psychologist.
                    ``(G) At least one school psychologist.
                    ``(H) At least one paraprofessional.
                    ``(I) At least one lawyer.
                    ``(J) At least one representative from a community-
                based organization who specializes in providing 
                supportive services to students who identify as 
                lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer.
                    ``(K) Professionals who specialize in providing 
                support services to students who identify as lesbian, 
                gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer.
                    ``(L) At least one individual from the Sate 
                Education Agency office focused on school improvement 
                and school climate.
                    ``(M) Additional individuals, as determined by the 
                chair of the task force.
            ``(3) Terms of members.--
                    ``(A) In general.--Each member of a task force of 
                State shall be appointed for the duration of the 
                existence of such task force.
                    ``(B) Vacancies.--A vacancy on a task force shall 
                be filled in the manner in which the original 
                designation was made under paragraph (2).
            ``(4) Discretionary coordination.--A task force of a State 
        may coordinate activities under this section with other boards 
        and commissions of such State.
    ``(d) Report to Chief Education Officer.--
            ``(1) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the date on 
        which the State submits the study required under subsection 
        (b), the State task force of such State shall submit a final 
        report to the Chief Education Officer of such State and the 
        Secretary of Education containing--
                    ``(A) the annual findings and conclusions of the 
                task force;
                    ``(B) the recommendations of the task force for 
                legislation or administrative actions; and
                    ``(C) best practices with respect to bullying in 
                elementary schools and secondary schools that includes 
                recommendations for how--
                            ``(i) to address and reduce bullying;
                            ``(ii) to best educate all relevant school 
                        staff on recognizing bullying; and
                            ``(iii) parents can best address and 
                        discuss with their children the early warning 
                        signs of bullying.
            ``(2) Publication.--Each State task force shall make the 
        final report submitted under paragraph (1) publicly 
        available.''.
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