An Act To Amend the Laws Governing the Student Code of Conduct
Maine Legislature, Session 122, LD 0564
Committee: Education and Cultural Affairs
Sponsors: GROSE, STRIMLING, CANAVAN, CUMMINGS, HUTTON, MAKAS, PINGREE, SYKES, WEBSTER

Legislative Document 
No. 564 
H.P.419 
House of Representatives, February 3,2005 
An Act To Amend the Laws Governing the Student Code of 
Conduct 
Reference to the Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs suggested and ordered 
printed. 
Presented by Representative GROSE of Woolwich. 
Cosponsored by Senator STRIMLING of Cumberland and 
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1J7·711dC~ 
MILLICENT M. MacFARLAND 
Clerk 
Representatives: CANAVAN of Waterville, CUMMINGS of Portland, HUTTON of 
Bowdoinham, MAKAS of Lewiston, PINGREE of North Haven, SYKES of Harrison, 
W ALCOTT of Lewiston, WEBSTER of Freeport. 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. I. 20-A MRSA §IOOI, sub-§l5, 1fA, as enacted by PL 1999, 
c. 351, §2, is amended to read: 
A. 
Define unacceptable student behaviorf, 
including, but 
not limited to, behavior that negatively affects a student's 
ability to perform academically or socially, such as: 
(1) 
BUllying, 
whic~_rnJtQn..s~tentional, 
aggressive, 
repeated and hurtful behavior perpetrated over time; 
(2) 
Harassment, which means intentional, repeated and 
hurtful 
verbal 
or 
nonverbal 
actions 
or 
expressions 
perpetrated over time: and 
(3) 
Sexual 
har_Q-'s_~!II~Jlt, 
which 
means 
intentional, 
~ted and 
sexuaL.x!;!_rbal 
or 
nonverbal 
actions or 
expressions categorized as eitper: 
J~Qyj.JL ~~_Q~UO se~~9...Lhara!iSJILent. which is when 
the perpetrator forces 
the victim to perform a 
favor 
or 
assume 
some 
responsibility 
for 
the 
harassment: or 
(b) 
Hostile-environment sexual harassment. which 
is when 
the perpetrator's behavior affects the 
victim's ability to perform effectively in the 
school environment; 
Sec. 2. 20-A MRSA §lOOl, sub-§15, 1fF, as amended by PL 200l, 
c. 644, §l, 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, 
counseling 
and 
placement decisions, when appropriate; aBe 
Sec. 3. 20-A MRS A §IOOI. sub-§15, 1fG, as enacted by PL 1999, 
c. 351, §2, is amended to read: 
G. 
Establish 
guidelines 
and 
criteria 
concerning 
the 
appropriate circumstances when 
the superintendent or 
the 
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. 4. 20-A MRSA §IOOI. sub-§15, 1fH is enacted to read: 
Page l-LR1938(1) 
H. 
Provide training for stud_ents to prevent and id!mtify 
incidents of bullying, harassment and sexual harassment as 
defined in paragraph A. 
SUMMARY 
This bill 
adds 
to 
the 
requirements 
for 
school 
boards' 
student codes of conduct by including in the description of 
unacceptable behavior bullying, harassment and sexual harassment; 
including counseling as part of the procedures concerning the 
removal of disruptive or violent students; and including training 
of students in ways to prevent and identify bUllying, harassment 
and sexual harassment.