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Regular Session, 2013
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTI ON NO. 91
BY REPRESENTATIVE SMITH
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTI ON
To create the Task Force on Bullying Prevention in Public Schools to study the procedures
and processes by which incidents of bullying are reported and investigated and to
provide for submission of a written report of task force findings, conclusions, and
recommendations to the House Committee on Education and the Senate Committee
on Education not later than sixty days prior to the beginning of the 2014 Regular
Session of the Legislature of Louisiana.
WHEREAS, as stated in the Constitution of Louisiana, it is the goal of the public
education system to provide learning environments and experiences at all stages of human
development that are humane, just, and designed to promote excellence in order that every
individual may be afforded an equal opportunity to develop to his full potential; and
WHEREAS, R.S. 17:416.13(B) requires the governing authority of each public
elementary and secondary school to incorporate into a student code of conduct a policy
prohibiting the bullying of a student by another student; and
WHEREAS, R.S. 17:416.13(D) requires the State Board of Elementary and
Secondary Education, in collaboration with the state Department of Education, to develop
and adopt rules and regulations relative to the procedures and processes used to report and
investigate bullying, including a time line for investigation, written reports, parental
notification, and the interviewing of students regarding bullying incidents; and
WHEREAS, student safety should be the utmost priority at both the state and local
levels, and in spite of current law, there are students who are bullied by other students; and
WHEREAS, it is vital that the procedures and processes for the reporting and
investigation of bullying effectively provide for the thorough investigation of bullying
incidents, the appropriate responses to students who exhibit bullying behaviors and to ENROLLEDHCR NO. 91
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students who are bullying targets, and the establishment of preventative measures to reduce
the recurrence of bullying; and
WHEREAS, in order for the public education system to meet its constitutional goal
of providing learning environments and experiences at all stages of human development that
are humane, just, and designed to promote excellence, it is imperative that every possible
precaution be taken to ensure the protection of Louisiana's students from bullying.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby
create the Task Force on Bullying Prevention in Public Schools to study the procedures and
processes by which incidents of bullying are reported and investigated.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force shall be composed of the
following members:
(1) A member of the staff of the state Department of Education who shall be
designated by the state superintendent of education and who shall serve as chair of the task
force and, by August 1, 2013, shall convene the task force for its first meeting at which the
task force shall adopt rules of procedure, a work schedule, and any additional measures that
it deems necessary for the timely performance of its duties.
(2) A representative of the school climate section of the state Department of
Education's division of consolidated programming, designated by the director of this
division.
(3) A representative of the Louisiana Association of School Executives, designated
by the executive director of the association.
(4) A representative of the Louisiana Federation of Teachers, designated by the
president of the federation.
(5) A representative of the Louisiana Association of Educators, designated by the
president of the association.
(6) A representative of the Association of Professional Educators of Louisiana,
designated by the executive director of the association.
(7) The president of the Louisiana School Counselor Association or his designee.
(8) A representative of the Louisiana Assembly on School-Based Health Centers,
designated by the executive director of the assembly. ENROLLEDHCR NO. 91
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(9) A representative of the Schools First Project of the Juvenile Justice Project of
Louisiana, designated by the director of the Schools First Project.
(10) The executive director of the Louisiana chapter of the National Association of
Social Workers or his designee.
(11) A representative of the office of the governor, designated by the governor.
(12) Any additional education practitioner who has experience addressing the issue
of bullying, designated by the state superintendent of education.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force shall submit a written report of
findings, conclusions, and recommendations to the House Committee on Education and the
Senate Committee on Education not later than sixty days prior to the beginning of the 2014
Regular Session of the Legislature of Louisiana and that such recommendations shall include
but not be limited to those relative to the following:
(1) The notification of parents of students involved in bullying investigations.
(2) The time line for the investigation of bullying, including the commencement of
the investigation after a written report is received and the duration of the investigation.
(3) The nature of written reports required to be filed by teachers, principals, and
other school employees in the course of bullying investigations, including recommendations
relative to the appropriate level of detail required in a bullying incident report.
(4) Best practices for identifying the underlying causes or motives for bullying,
including identifying attributes of students who exhibit bullying behavior, students who are
targets of bullying, and students who are bystanders, effective interventions at various grade
levels, and evidence-based prevention programs.
(5) Best practices for responding to bullying incidents and preventing future bullying
incidents, including measures such as restorative justice practices that take into account the
full context of the bullying incident in the school community and the age, development
status, and history of the students involved.
(6) Legislation, if any, relative to the issue.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the report shall also include a report on the
implementation of R.S. 17:416.13(B)(2)(b), which requires the governing authority of each
public elementary and secondary school to create a program to provide a minimum of four ENROLLEDHCR NO. 91
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hours of training each year for all school employees, including bus drivers, with respect to
bullying.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the state superintendent of education or his
designee shall be responsible for designating staff to assist the task force in performing its
duties.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force shall meet at least three times
prior to the submission of its written report and that members of the task force shall serve
without compensation.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the
president of the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, and to the state
superintendent of education who shall be responsible for transmitting a copy to each of the
offices, associations, or organizations from which the members of the task force are being
selected or designated.
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATI VES
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE