An Act To Amend the Laws Governing the Student Code of Conduct
Maine Legislature, Session 122, LD 0564
Committee Amendment CA_A_H333 (House)
Amends: 20-A MRSA §1001

FmST SPECIAL SESSION 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A" to H.P. 419, L.D. 564, Bill, 
Act To Amend the Laws Governing the Student Code of Conduct" 
"An 
Amend the bill by striking out everything after the title 
and before the summary and inserting in its place the following: 
I Mandate preamble. 
This measure requires one or more local 
units of government to expand or modify activities so as to 
necessitate additional expenditures from local revenues but does 
not provide funding for at least 90% 
of those expenditures. 
Pursuant to the Constitution of Maine, Article IX, Section 21, 
2/3 of all of the members elected to each House have determined 
it necessary to enact this measure. 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1. 20-A MRSA §1001, sub-§15, 1JF, as amended by PL 200l, 
c. 644, §1, is further amended to read: 
F. 
Establish policies and procedures concerning the removal 
of disruptive or violent students or students threatening 
death or bodily harm to others from a classroom or a school 
bus, 
as 
well 
as 
student 
disciplinary 
and 
placement 
decisions, when appropriate: aRe 
Sec. 2. 20-A MRSA §1001, sub-§15, ,G, as enacted by PL 1999, 
c. 351, §2, is amended to read: 
G. 
Establish 
guidelines 
appropriate circumstances 
and 
when 
criteria 
concerning 
the superintendent or 
the 
the 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
.,'0. 
". 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT .. ~ 
to H.P. 419, L.D. 564 
superintendent's designee 
may provide information to the 
local 
pOlice 
or 
other 
appropriate 
law 
enforcement 
authorities 
regarding 
an offense that involves 
violence 
committed by any person on school grounds or other school 
property ... ; and 
Sec.3. 20-A MRSA §lOOl, sub-§15, 1fH is enacted to read: 
H. 
Establish policies 
and procedures to address bullying. 
harassment and sexual harassment. 
Sec. 4. 
Development of model policies to address bullying, 
harassment and sexual harassment. The Commissioner of Education 
shall direct the Subcommittee on School and Community Climate of 
the Children's Cabinet to develop model policies to 
address 
bullying, 
harassment 
and 
sexual 
harassment 
in 
schools. 
In 
developing these model policies, the subcommittee shall, no later 
than February 15, 2006: 
1. 
Provide 
a 
description of behaviors that constitute 
bullying, harassment and sexual harassment; 
2. 
Provide specific guidelines for 
enforcement of student codes of conduct 
with 
the 
Maine 
Revised Statutes, 
Title 
subsection 15; 
the 
enhancement 
and 
adopted in accordance 
20-A, 
section 1001, 
3. 
Present the guidelines in a 
manner appropriate for 
inclusion in staff and faculty handbooks; 
4. 
Develop 
a 
manual 
to instruct parents, 
teachers and 
school administrators on how to implement policies on bullying, 
harassment and sexual harassment, including recommendations for 
procedures to be included a school handbook; and 
5. 
Create 
training 
modules 
for 
school 
staff 
and 
administration 
specific 
to 
recognizing 
and 
implementing 
procedures 
to 
address 
bullying, 
harassment 
and 
sexual 
harassment. 
Training modules 
must be developed for delivery 
regionally via interactive television, in person at workshops and 
conferences and online as Internet-based teaching tools. 
By February 1, 2006 the commissioner shall report to the 
Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs on the 
subcommittee's progress in developing model policies, procedures 
and training materials. 
Sec. 5. Implementation of policies and procedures to address 
bullying, harassment and sexual harassment. 
School administrative 
units 
shall 
establish 
or 
modify 
policies 
and 
procedures 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
f.'" 
.~. 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT .. Jf" to H.P. 419, L.D. 564 
to address bullying, harassment and sexual harassment in a manner 
consistent with the model policies developed in accordance with 
section 4. 
Each 
school 
administrative unit must 
have 
such 
policies and procedures in place by September 1, 2006.' 
SUMMARY 
This amendment replaces the bill. 
It requires school boards 
to establish policies to address bullying, harassment and sexual 
harassment. 
It directs a subcommittee of the Children's Cabinet 
to 
develop 
model 
policies, 
materials 
for 
communicating 
and 
implementing the model policies and training modules specific to 
recognizing 
and 
addressing 
bullying, 
harassment 
and 
sexual 
harassment. 
It directs the subcommittee to complete its work by 
February 
15, 
2006 
and 
school 
administrative 
units 
to 
have 
policies and procedures in place by September 1, 2006. 
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED 
(See attached) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
State Mandate 
Approved: 05/05105 ~ae 
LD564 
LR 1938(02) 
An Act To Amend the Laws Governing the Student Code of Conduct 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment "f/" 
Committee: Education and Cultural Mfairs 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
Current Costs - State Mandate 
New or Expanded Activity 
Unit Affected 
Costs 
Requiring school administrative units to establish or modify 
School 
Insignificant 
policies and procedures to address bullying, harassment and sexual 
harassment by September 1, 2006 is a mandate. The cost to 
individual school units can not be determined at this time but is not 
expected to be significant. 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
The additional costs to the Maine Children's Cabinet and the Department of Education to develop the required models 
and materials by February 15,2006 can be absorbed within existing budgeted resources. 
LR1938(2) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of 1