Bills › 88th General Assembly
Pertaining to immunity from civil or criminal liability for acts of corporal punishment in schools
Sponsored by the Senate Judiciary Committee
Topics:Courts & civil lawK–12 education
Same legislation: SSB 3075
Where it is now
- Done: IntroducedJanuary 27, 2020
- Done: SubcommitteeJanuary 27, 2020
- Done: Senate committeeFebruary 17, 2020
- Stopped: Passes the SenateDied when the General Assembly ended
- Next: House committee
- Next: Passes the House
- Next: To the Governor
- Next: Signed into law
Died when the session ended The 2020 session adjourned on June 14, 2020, the General Assembly’s last regular session. Bills that didn’t pass both chambers died. What’s a funnel?
What’s in it
Current law governing corporal punishment in schools prohibits an employee of a public school district, accredited nonpublic school, or area education agency from inflicting corporal punishment upon a student. “Corporal punishment” is defined as the intentional physical punishment of a student. Current law specifies circumstances in which an employee’s physical contact with the body of a student shall not be considered corporal punishment. Current law also provides that a school employee who, in the reasonable course of the employee’s employment responsibilities, comes into physical contact with a student shall be granted immunity from any civil or criminal liability which might otherwise be incurred or imposed as a result of such physical contact, if the physical contact is reasonable under the circumstances and involves various specified acts.
Read the full explanation
This bill applies the same prohibitions, responsibilities, and immunity to a school volunteer. The bill provides that if a school employee or school volunteer is granted immunity from any civil or criminal liability in this way, the school district, board of directors of the school district, or authorities in charge of the accredited nonpublic school shall also be granted immunity from any civil or criminal liability to the same extent as the school employee or school volunteer. Current law provides that any school employee determined in a civil action to have been wrongfully accused of violating state law on corporal punishment in schools shall be awarded reasonable monetary damages, in light of the circumstances involved, against the party bringing the action. The bill applies this provision to a school volunteer, the school district, board of directors of the school district, or authorities in charge of the accredited nonpublic school as well. The bill provides that reasonable monetary damages include attorney fees.
Senate subcommittee
Named January 27, 2020 (as SSB 3075). On January 29, 2020 it recommended passage.
Three legislators hear a bill first and recommend what the committee should do; it’s the best time to weigh in. How to take part
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88th General Assembly
Picked up later
Earlier and later bills are matched by wording or an identical title.
Similar bills
- SF 149 Relating to civil actions associated with permissible physical contact between certain spe…90th General Assembly · Approved by committeeVery similar
Matched by wording or an identical title.