Conference committee on Senate Bill 210 fails to reach agreement; members agree to file nonconcur report

The Camellia conference committee reconvened to consider Senate Bill 210, a proposal addressing bullying and cyberbullying in schools, but members could not agree on returning the bill to its original prevention-focused language or adding a study committee. The committee agreed by consent to file a nonconcur report.

The dispute centered on whether the conference should revert the bill to earlier language prioritizing prevention and specific school actions or amend it to add a formal study committee to examine implementation and data collection. Speaker 1, identified in the transcript as the committee chair, said, "I think we all know that, bullying is is happening in our schools, even to the point of suicides." The comment framed why some members urged immediate legislative action rather than only a study.

Other committee members emphasized the existence of current law and school-level policies. Speaker 4 argued that a statutory framework already exists: "So we have a bullying statute right now. We we agreed to that. It's in statute." That view supported proponents of a study to determine why existing statutory tools were not being implemented. Speaker 4 added that a study could help hold districts accountable and provide the data needed to craft future legislation.

A compromise proposal discussed by members would have combined targeted statutory changes with the creation of a study committee to gather additional data. Speaker 2 described a bill draft that would require additional reporting by districts — including incidents that involve police response — and make some changes to parental-notification rules, noting the bill could add new reporting requirements independent of a study.

After discussion, committee members determined they were not in agreement. Speaker 1 summarized the outcome: the Senate delegation preferred returning to the bill's original prevention language, while the House delegation favored a study-first approach; the groups could not reconcile those positions. The transcript records committee members saying they would "file a nonconcur report" and later agreeing to do so by consent.

The committee did not record a roll-call vote in the transcript provided; members spoke in favor of filing the nonconcur report and indicated agreement by consent. The transcript does not show text of a final amended bill or implementation steps beyond the decision to file the report.

Background: speakers referenced existing sources of guidance, including the RSA and Department of Education materials on bullying and remedies, and noted that a separate House bill addressing cyberbullying previously passed and was signed into law, according to one committee speaker. The committee did not adopt new statutory language during this session and will file the nonconcur report as its formal record of disagreement.