SB2630enr 94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SB2630 Enrolled LRB094 16369 NHT 51620 b

AN ACT concerning education.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The School Code is amended by adding Section 27-23.7 as follows:

(105 ILCS 5/27-23.7 new)

Sec. 27-23.7. Bullying prevention education.

(a) The General Assembly finds that bullying has a negative effect on the social environment of schools, creates a climate of fear among students, inhibits their ability to learn, and leads to other antisocial behavior. Bullying behavior has been linked to other forms of antisocial behavior, such as vandalism, shoplifting, skipping and dropping out of school, fighting, using drugs and alcohol, sexual harassment, and sexual violence.

(b) In this Section, "bullying prevention" means and includes instruction in all of the following:

(1) Intimidation.

(2) Student victimization.

(3) Sexual harassment.

(4) Sexual violence.

(5) Strategies for student-centered problem solving regarding bullying.

(c) Each school district may make suitable provisions for instruction in bullying prevention in all grades and include such instruction in the courses of study regularly taught therein. A school board may collaborate with a community-based agency providing specialized curricula in bullying prevention whose ultimate outcome is to prevent sexual violence. The State Board of Education may assist in the development of instructional materials and teacher training in relation to bullying prevention.

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon becoming law.