Kentucky Senate approves mandatory 12-month expulsion for assaults on school employees with limited exemptions

The Kentucky Senate on the floor of day 33 passed Senate Bill 101, a measure that establishes a mandatory 12‑month expulsion for students in grades 6 through 12 who assault a school employee, while carving out two exceptions for students whose conduct is a manifestation of a disability and for assaults that result from provocation by a school employee.

Senator from Scott, sponsor of the bill, told colleagues the measure also creates a mandatory reporting requirement for all instances of assault on school employees. “It requires a mandatory 12 month expulsion for students 6 through 12 if they assault a school employee,” the sponsor said during floor explanation, and cited what he called an undercount of incidents reported since 2021.

In his floor remarks the sponsor said the Kentucky Education Association reported 25,000 instances of assault against teachers since 2021 and read a teacher’s emailed account of severe injuries and lost employment that she attributed to student assaults. The teacher’s email, read into the record by the sponsor, described repeated violence, physical injuries and the end of her career.

Opponents warned the measure removes necessary discretion from school leaders and risks disproportionately impacting younger adolescents. “A child is a child and should not be treated the same as an adult,” Senator Fay said in explanation of his no vote, arguing that a forced year‑long expulsion could put children on a path from which they cannot recover.

The sponsor and supporters argued the bill returns authority to protect classrooms and provides a deterrent to assault. During floor discussion members asked how many of the 25,000 reported incidents would result in year‑long expulsions; the sponsor responded that exemptions (especially for students with individualized education programs) make a precise statewide estimate difficult and declined to give a numerical projection.

After multiple explanations and recorded statements, the clerk announced the roll call: 27 yeas and 10 nays. The Senate passed Senate Bill 101 as amended by the committee substitute.

The bill’s immediate effect will depend on implementation details in school districts and any guidance the Kentucky Department of Education may later provide. The Senate’s action sends the measure to the next step in the legislative process.