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House approves bill requiring parent notification, targeted reporting for severe school bullying
Summary
House Bill 44 passed the Idaho House on Jan. 29, 2025; it adds limited reporting requirements for harassment, intimidation and bullying incidents that result in student suspension and requires notification to parents or guardians of both alleged victim and alleged perpetrator and referral to law enforcement when conduct may be criminal.
The Idaho House passed House Bill 44 on Jan. 29, 2025, by a vote of 43-26 with one member absent and excused. The measure adds two targeted sentences to state code requiring school districts to adopt procedures to report incidents of harassment, intimidation and bullying that result in suspension, to notify parents or legal guardians of both alleged victims and alleged perpetrators, and to notify law enforcement if the alleged conduct may violate criminal law.
Sponsor Representative (Gentleman) from District 19 said the bill narrows an earlier proposal and focuses reporting obligations on the "most severe instances of bullying," those that lead to suspension. He said the bill removed a prior requirement that schools undertake specified actions for every allegation and reduced paperwork and burden for districts.
The sponsor told members the change ‘‘requires that such incidents be reported to the parents or legal guardians of both the alleged victim and the alleged perpetrator’’ and that an incident ‘‘also has to be reported to law enforcement if the alleged conduct may violate any criminal law.’’ He said the vast majority of schools already follow those practices and that school staff are mandatory reporters under existing law.
The sponsor emphasized that reporting to law enforcement is limited to circumstances where staff believe the conduct may be criminal and that law enforcement would be responsible for investigation and due process. He said, "If they think that a criminal act may have occurred, they will escalate it to the court system." The transcript records no additional floor debate on the motion.
The clerk recorded the final vote as "43 ayes, 26 nays, 1 absent and excused." The title was approved and the bill was transmitted to the Senate. The transcript does not include a specific statutory citation or the exact two-sentence wording that will be added to state code, and it does not specify an effective date.
