Contact your legislators here to show your support for federal bills that can help end harmful, traumatic crisis management practices in school.
State Legislative Heat Map
Click on a state to jump to active or pending legislation in that state.
The states in red are hot right now. Those in bright red are very hot.
To see all of the state bills we are following, click here
Federal Legislation
The Counseling Not Criminalization in Schools Act 2023 (H.R. 6202 / S. 3214 )
This bill would prohibit federal funds from being used to hire or maintain police in K-12 schools, diverting that funding toward other uses related to school safety within applicable grant programs. The bill would establish a $5 billion grant program to support the hiring of counselors, social workers, school psychologists, and other personnel. The grant would also support schools in implementing programs to improve school climate and move away from policies that criminalize students and push them out of school. States and school districts will have incentives to end the criminalization of young people, particularly Black and Brown students, Native American and Latino students, immigrant students, students with disabilities, LGBTQ+ students and other marginalized students, and invest in creating safe and nurturing learning environments for all students.
The Keeping All Students Safe Act (S.1750 / H.R. 3470)
This bill would prohibit any federally funded school from secluding a child or using dangerous restraint practices. It would provide oversight related to incidents of restraining students and equip school personnel with training to address school-expected behavior with evidence-based, proactive strategies. It would also increase transparency, oversight, and enforcement to prevent future abuse and death of students across the nation.
Protecting Our Students in Schools Act (H.R. 3596 / S.1762)
This bill would prohibit the practice of corporal punishment in federally funded schools, establish numerous enforcement protections, and create a federal grant program for states and school districts to improve school climate and culture. Corporal punishment – the act of inflicting physical pain as a form of discipline – includes striking, paddling, spanking, and other forms of violence. Research convincingly demonstrates that corporal punishment is ineffective and physically, psychologically, and emotionally harmful.
Ending PUSHOUT Act
Strengthens data collection related to exclusionary discipline practices in schools and discriminatory application of such practices, and prevents the criminalization and pushout of students from school as a result of educational barriers
Stop Institutional Child Abuse Act 2022
Aims to prevent institutional child abuse, neglect, and death by first increasing oversight and data transparency of youth residential treatment programs that purport to provide ‘treatment’ to foster youth, children from the juvenile justice systems, youth with disabilities, migrant youth, and youth placed directly by their parents or mental health professionals. The prevalence of physical, emotional, and sexual abuse happening in youth residential programs have child advocates calling for more transparency within these institutions. Send your legislators a message showing your support for this bipartisan federal bill!
Safe Schools Improvement Act (S.3105)
This bill would require schools to adopt codes of conduct specifically prohibiting bullying and harassment, including conduct based on a student’s actual or perceived race, color, national origin, sex, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or religion. The bill would ensure schools focus on effective prevention programs in order to better prevent and respond to incidents of bullying and harassment both in school and online. Students, parents, and educational professionals would receive education regarding prohibited bullying and harassment and complaint procedures.
State Legislation
Alaska
An Act relating to residential psychiatric treatment centers; and providing for an effective date (HB 366/ SB 231)
This bill aims to reform residential psychiatric treatment for youths in Alaska by adding protections for patients and providing additional oversight of locked facilities where children often spend months or years. This bill would ensure a weekly opportunity for confidential video communication between children and their parents or guardians, require unannounced inspections of facilities, and require uses of physical or chemical restraint or seclusion to be reported.
California
California: Short-term residential therapeutic programs: dashboard: seclusion or behavior restraints (S.1043)
This bill would require residential therapeutic facilities to publish data on the use of restraint and seclusion on a public dashboard on its website. It would also require parents or guardians to be notified when restraints and seclusion are used on minors.
California SB 483: Pupil rights: prone restraint
Aimes to prohibit the use of prone restraint, whereby a student is physically or mechanically restrained in a face down position, in California schools. Current state legislation allows prone restraint to be used in schools by trained personnel, stipulating that school personnel must observe the student for “any sign of physical distress” and that the student’s hands cannot be restrained behind their back. Senate Bill 483 expands on the protection of current legislation by banning all uses of prone restraint.
California: (AB 2806) Child care and developmental services: preschool: expulsion and suspension: mental health services: reimbursement rates.
This bill would revise provisions relating to expulsion or unenrollment of a child from a state preschool program. It would require the respective departments and Child Care Providers United (CCPU) to establish a joint labor-management committee to discuss suspension and expulsion practices among family child care providers and make recommendations related to prohibiting the expulsion or suspension of a child. It would increase state data collection requirements, develop state guidelines and provide support for staff training for programs with high numbers of suspension and expulsion.
Colorado
Colorado: Prohibit Student Seclusion (HB24-1167)
House Bill 24-1167 aims to prohibit the use of seclusion on any student in Colorado schools. Seclusion is defined as the placement of an individual alone in a room or area from which egress is involuntarily prevented, except during normal sleeping hours. House Bill 24-1167 provides critical protection from the harmful and ineffective practice of seclusion for all students in Colorado.
Colorado H B23-1191 Prohibits Corporal Punishment of Children
Prohibits a person employed by or volunteering in a public school, a state-licensed child care center, a family child care home, or a specialized group facility from imposing corporal punishment on a child. Corporal punishment is defined as the willful infliction of, or wilfully causing the infliction of, physical pain on a child.
Colorado: Supportive Learning Environments for K-12 Students
Requires the Department of Education to collect data related to chronic absenteeism rates, the number of in-school and out-of-school suspensions, the number of expulsions, the number of students handcuffed or restrained, the number of referrals to law enforcement, and the number of school-related arrests. Requires the Department of Education to create school district profiles relating to school climate. Increases restrictions on the use of restraints. Provides additional training for school staff. Develops new policies regarding hiring, training, and evaluating school resource officers. Provide an additional $2 million to continue the expelled and at-risk student services program.
Connecticut
Connecticut: An act concerning special education (SB 1200)
Senate Bill 1200 includes many important provisions, including the elimination of seclusions and significant restrictions on the use of restraints in public and private schools. Additionally, no school employee is permitted to use physical restraint or seclusion as a planned intervention in a student’s behavioral intervention plan, Individualized Education Program or plan pursuant to Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.
Idaho
Idaho HB 281a: Act to revise provisions regarding classroom behavior and prohibit certain disciplinary actions.
Aims to prohibit corporal punishment as a classroom punishment method, prohibit restraint and seclusion as a form of discipline, clarify that restraint and seclusion can only be used in emergency situations, require the state department of education to prepare resources and training for staff, and require all school districts, public charter, and private schools to have a restraint and seclusion policy.
Illinois
Illinois: Prohibit Corporal Punishment in Private Schools (HB 4175)
House Bill 4175 aims to prohibit corporal punishment in private schools. This would implement the same restrictions on corporal punishment in private schools that Illinois public schools are already subject to. Corporal punishment is defined as slapping or paddling a student, the prolonged maintenance of a student in a physically painful position, or the intentional infliction of bodily harm on a student.
Massachusetts
Massachusetts: An Act enhancing learning in the early school years through a ban on school exclusion in pre-kindergarten through 3rd grade H.453 /S.289
This bill prohibits a student enrolled in prekindergarten – third grade from being suspended or expelled from school in response to discipline infractions. In addition, the Department of Education shall provide guidance and support to school staff regarding alternatives to suspension and expulsion.
Missouri
Missouri: Corporal Punishment in Schools (HB 1581)
This bill mandates that each school district and charter school prohibit the use of corporal punishment and spanking in all Missouri schools. Corporal Punishment is defined as the infliction of pain by an adult upon the body of a child as a penalty for doing something that has been disapproved of by the adult.
Missouri: Bans Using Seclusion to Confine a Student (HB 1677)
House Bill 1677 aims to prohibit the use of seclusion on any student in Missouri’s K-12 schools. Current state law allows for seclusion practices, which involve involuntarily confining a student alone in a room or area whereby the student is physically prevented from leaving. House Bill 1677 provides critical protection from the harmful and ineffective practice of seclusion for all students in Missouri.
New Hampshire
New Hampshire: An Act relative to the presumption of harm under the child protection act (SB 459)
This bill revises certain definitions under the Child Protection Act, including the definitions of abused child, neglected child, and imminent harm. SB 459 will expand the definition of “institutional child abuse or neglect” to include restraint or seclusion where there is no substantial and imminent risk of serious bodily harm to the child or others.
New York
New York: The Judge Judith S. Kaye Solutions Not Suspensions Act
Prohibit suspensions for students in Kindergarten through 3rd grade and shorten the maximum length of suspension for all students (except applying with applicable Federal law). Require schools to provide suspended students academic instruction and the ability to earn credits. Require schools to use proven alternatives to suspensions.
New York: The Keeping All New York Students Safe Act AO 3311
Aims to prevent and reduce the use of seclusion and physical restraint in schools; prohibits the use of seclusion, mechanical restraint, chemical restraint, and dangerous restraints that restrict breathing on students; authorizes annual appropriations to provide grants to school districts; and provides for more rapid notice to parents if restraints or seclusion is used on a student.
Oklahoma
Oklahoma: Prohibits the Use of Corporal Punishment with Students with a Disability in Public Schools (HB 1028)
All public school personnel will be prohibited from using corporal punishment on any student who has an identified disability. Corporal punishment is defined as deliberately inflicting physical pain by hitting, paddling, spanking, slapping or any other physical force used as a means of discipline.
Oregon
Oregon: Senate Bill 790:Relating to violations of laws prohibiting harming students; amending ORS 419B.005; and declaring an emergency.
Modifies definition of “abuse” for purposes of child abuse to include violations of existing laws prohibiting infliction of corporal punishment and use of restraint and seclusion on students.
South Carolina
A Bill to define terms related to the suspension or expulsion of preschool students, to provide for education and training for administrators, teachers, and staff, to require efforts toward maintaining student enrollment, and to provide for relevant data collection. (S 1108)
South Carolina Senate Bill 1108 would define terms related to suspension or expulsion for preschool students and require relevant data collection. In addition, the Department of Education would make available on-going professional development related to supporting kids with concerning behaviors proactively and with trauma-informed practices.
Vermont
Vermont: The Keeping Vermont Students Safe by restricting the use of restraints and seclusion in schools (HB 409)
Aims to prohibit the use of physical restraints and seclusions in a school or educational program that receives public funds from the state. If physical restraints or seclusions are used, the legislation would require reporting and documentation as required by the State Board of Education. The bill would also require the Agency of Education to develop and implement a performance review system to define and monitor the use of physical restraint and seclusion, as well as provide training for school personnel in evidence-based programs that reduce the likelihood of physical restraint and seclusion.
