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Rep. Regas urges passage of 'Natalia Moore's Law' to allow emergency transfers for bullied students
Summary
Representative Regas and family members of Natalia Moore testified for HB 54‑80, which would require receiving schools to accept out‑of‑district transfers for students with documented bullying when local interventions fail, prohibit denying transfers solely for truancy, mandate records transfer within seven days and bar tuition charges.
Representative Regas asked the House Committee on Education and Workforce to advance House Bill 54‑80, which she described as "Natalia Moore's law," a response to the suicide of a 12‑year‑old student after repeated bullying. The bill would amend the revised school code to require a receiving district to accept an out‑of‑district transfer when a parent provides documented evidence that the student is suffering bullying, that the bullying was reported and documented, and that the current school’s interventions failed.
"This bill closes that gap," Regas told the committee, saying the measure would prevent schools from denying transfers solely because a child has become habitually truant due to fear or anxiety. She said the current school must transfer academic records within seven days and the receiving district could not charge tuition. Regas also said the bill would create accountability by allowing damages when a district wrongfully refuses a qualifying transfer, and that she is willing to work with the committee on the specifics of liability language.
Members raised technical questions about evidence, capacity and liability. Regas said evidence would typically be the paper trail created when bullying is reported through school systems or tip lines, and that the bill as drafted applies to schools participating in school‑of‑choice programs; she added that if there are no open seats in neighboring districts the bill would still require placement where possible. On liability, she said parents could pursue the superintendent and school board under the bill’s proposed language, and the sponsor is open to committee refinements.
Family members of Natalia Moore and community supporters delivered emotional testimony urging the committee to act. "My name is Mira Moore, and I am the mother of Natalia Moore," Mira Moore told the committee, describing repeated reports, inconsistent follow‑up and the family’s denied request for a transfer before Natalia’s death on 01/26/2025. "No child should ever feel that their only way out is to end their life," she said.
Heather Strong, a family friend, recounted knowing Natalia as a "bright, well‑mannered child" and connected that loss to broader concerns for young students. Jeanette Williamson, a coach and educator, described the ripple effects for teammates and asserted that the problem is systemic; she said, "In Michigan, we are losing approximately 1 child every 2 days to suicide," framing the bill as an urgent safety measure.
Regas noted statewide reporting figures during her testimony: she said that in the 2024‑25 school year over 10,900 bullying instances were reported through school data and that a state tip line logged more than 2,200 bullying‑related tips. She urged the committee to add "teeth" to the law so that policies meant to protect children result in swift safety options when interventions fail.
The committee did not take a vote on HB 54‑80 during the hearing; the item was presented and discussed and the committee heard public testimony. The committee then moved on to other bills on its agenda.
