Legislature(1995 - 1996)
03/07/1995 03:10 PM House HES
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* first hearing in first committee of referral
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= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
HHES - 03/07/95 HB 215 - GROUNDS FOR SUSPENSION OF STUDENTS Number 1933 CO-CHAIR BUNDE said this bill is sponsored by the HESS Committee. He said the bill was a housekeeping measure. Currently, statutory language says a student can be suspended for being involved in threatening behavior toward other students that affect the welfare, safety and morals of other students. However, a loophole says that other pupils have to be present to witness this behavior before the child can be suspended. This bill will stipulate that if this behavior that is hostile to the welfare, safety or morals of other pupils occurs in the classroom where there is a teacher, administrator or other school staff, there is cause for suspension. CO-CHAIR BUNDE said a really bizarre example of the consequences of this loophole could be if a student threatened a principal with a baseball bat and other students were not present, the student could not be suspended. Number 1995 REPRESENTATIVE ROBINSON asked if a situation has occurred that prompted HB 215. CO-CHAIR BUNDE said the bill came to him by request. The request noted that there is a loophole in which a student can exhibit threatening behavior and not be subject to the law if there are not students present. Co-Chair Bunde then asked for public testimony on the bill. MS. DOUGLAS presented a very short position paper to the HESS Committee members. Earlier this year, there was a report of a student that had been in a situation with the principal and had threatened the principal with a weapon. Because no other students were present, the school district was not able to suspend the child. This has happened in a few other situations. This is a glitch in the suspension law, and this is why HB 215 has been introduced. Number 2042 CO-CHAIR BUNDE added that he personally knows of teacher's aides who have been harassed and abused. He feels these individuals should fall under the purview of the law as well. REPRESENTATIVE DAVIS said the situation appears to simply be a glitch. As society evolves, he feels that many bills will be the resolution of glitches in statutes. He requested that the HESS Committee members move HB 215 from committee with individual recommendations. There were no objections, and the bill was passed.
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