Division of the Budget
Landon State Office Building Phone: (785) 296-2436
900 SW Jackson Street, Room 504 adam.c.proffitt@ks.gov
Topeka, KS 66612 http://budget.kansas.gov
Adam Proffitt, Director Laura Kelly, Governor
Division of the Budget
January 27, 2023
The Honorable Adam Thomas, Chairperson
House Committee on Education
300 SW 10th Avenue, Room 218-N
Topeka, Kansas 66612
Dear Representative Thomas:
SUBJECT: Fiscal Note for HB 2143 by House Committee on Education
In accordance with KSA 75-3715a, the following fiscal note concerning HB 2143 is
respectfully submitted to your committee.
HB 2143 would require the board of education of each school district to adopt a bullying
policy to prohibit bullying by students, staff members, or parents toward a student, staff member,
or parent while on or utilizing school property, in a school vehicle, or at a school-sponsored
activity. The bill would outline requirements of the policy, including the designation of one person
in a school district as the primary contact regarding bullying policy and procedures.
The bill would require all allegations of bullying to be reported to the designated school
administrator and any student, parent, or staff member could file a report. The bill would require
the school to investigate the alleged incident and take immediate steps to protect any person
involved in the alleged incident, pending the completion of the investigation. The bill would
outline requirements for the school administrator to take upon receiving a bullying complaint. The
bill would also outline procedures to request an independent review, under certain circumstances.
The bill would prohibit any educational or personal data of an alleged perpetrator to be
disclosed. The bill would outline disciplinary actions that would be available, including warnings,
counseling, suspension, or transfer to another school. The specific consequences would be
required to be consistent, reasonable, fair, age-appropriate, and match the severity of the incident.
The bill would require school districts to promote progressive discipline and intervention as
opposed to “zero tolerance” policies.
The bill would require the board of education of each school district to implement ongoing
professional development to build the skills of all staff members to prevent, identify, and respond The Honorable Adam Thomas, Chairperson
Page 2—HB 2143
to bullying. The bill would outline the content for these professional development skills. Each
school would be required to present, in age-appropriate language, the school district’s bullying
policy as part of any student orientation at the beginning of an academic term.
To assist school districts, the State Board of Education would be required to develop and
maintain a model policy that is applicable to grades kindergarten through 12. In addition, the State
Board of Education would be required to develop appropriate procedures for investigating
bullying; the reporting and responding to failures in adopting bullying policies and procedures by
school districts; the reporting of bullying incidents by school districts; and the publication of
statewide bullying statistics.
The Department of Education indicates that the enactment of HB 2143 would require
additional administrative and training costs for both the Department and school districts. However,
any additional costs would be negligible beyond normal operating costs.
Sincerely,
Adam Proffitt
Director of the Budget
cc: Craig Neuenswander, Department of Education