Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Education Discipline topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
House passes bill to clarify school seclusion and disciplinary rules after emotional floor debate
Summary
House Bill 12‑48, which separates school seclusion rules into a distinct section of law and adds reporting requirements, passed after impassioned remarks calling for an outright ban and others urging a calibrated regulatory approach.
The Colorado House adopted House Bill 12‑48 on March 31, a measure that moves school seclusion and disciplinary provisions into a distinct statutory section and adds reporting and procedural requirements for schools.
The floor debate featured sharply divergent views. Representative English, speaking in opposition, urged a full ban on seclusion, describing the practice as ‘‘locking our students in rooms where they are watched through a glass window or on a surveillance camera like animals in a zoo’’ and recounted a student’s suicide she said occurred after seclusion. English said the bill ‘‘fails the most important test. It does not protect kids’’ and called for an outright ban.
Sponsors and other supporters, including Representative Zocai and Representative Garcia, said the bill clarifies current law, improves data reporting and creates consistent standards that will make future bans or stronger restrictions achievable. Zocai said the bill “separates out that section and makes it specific for schools” and adds data reporting so lawmakers and the public can better understand how often seclusion occurs and whether violations are happening.
Representative English said stakeholders had forged an ‘‘unlikely coalition’’ in past days but argued the bill did not go far enough. Representative Garcia urged adoption and framed the bill as a step toward the broader goal of banning seclusion.
The House proceeded to third reading and final passage; the transcript records roll‑call votes in which Representative Woodrow and Representative Soper voted yes and later shows the final tally recorded as 64 yes, 0 no, 1 excused in the excerpt provided.
Why it matters: The measure reorganizes how schools handle seclusion and restraint in statute, adds reporting obligations, and signals the Legislature may pursue stricter limitations in future sessions. For advocates and families, the bill represents either a first step or an inadequate compromise, depending on perspective.
What's next: Sponsors said they will continue work toward broader protections; advocates for a ban indicated they will press the issue in subsequent sessions.
