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HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2663 FILED ON: 1/16/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 591
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
Danielle W. Gregoire
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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:
The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
An Act relative to school bullying.
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PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Danielle W. Gregoire4th Middlesex1/16/2025 1 of 2
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2663 FILED ON: 1/16/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 591
By Representative Gregoire of Marlborough, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 591) of
Danielle W. Gregoire relative to school bullying. Education.
[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 3754 OF 2023-2024.]
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
(2025-2026)
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An Act relative to school bullying.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
of the same, as follows:
1 SECTION 1. Section 1B of chapter 69 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022
2Official Edition, is hereby amended by adding the following paragraph:-
3 The board shall see to it that all schools provide the board with a copy of the updated plan
4to address bullying prevention and intervention under subsection (d) of section 37O of chapter
571. In the event of noncompliance, the board and the commissioner may use all powers
6established under this section to ensure schools provide the board with a copy of the updated
7plan under said subsection (d) of said section 37O.
8 SECTION 2. Paragraph (1) of subsection (d) of section 37O of chapter 71 of the General
9Laws, as so appearing , is hereby amended by striking out the third and fourth sentences and
10inserting in place thereof the following 2 sentences:- The consultation shall include, but not be 2 of 2
11limited to: (i) notice that shall be posted, with a draft copy of the updated plan, in a conspicuous
12place or places on the school’s premises and on the school’s website; (ii) a public comment
13period that shall accept written comments on the updated plan, submitted by any interested
14person, within 30 days of the posted notice; provided, however, that a non-public school shall
15only be required to give notice to and provide a comment period for families that have a child
16attending the school; and (iii) if no plan is currently in place, prior to the development of the plan
17there shall be a public comment period accepting written comments on the development of the
18original plan, submitted by any interested person and upon completion of the original plan the
19school shall follow the steps in clauses (i) and (ii). The school shall consider all relevant
20comments and suggestions before finalizing the plan and subsequent updates to the plan. The
21plan shall be updated every 2 years and a copy of the updated plan shall be submitted to the
22board within 30 days of the completed updates.
23 SECTION 3. Said section 37O of said chapter 71, as so appearing, is hereby further
24amended by inserting after the word “retaliation”, in line 272, the following words:- , including
25incidents that result in students being suspended or expelled.
26 SECTION 4. Subsection (n) of said section 37O of said chapter 71, as so appearing, is
27hereby further amended by striking out the first sentence and inserting in place thereof the
28following sentence:- The department shall investigate certain alleged incidents of bullying,
29within a 2 year period of the alleged incidents.