STOP Bullying Act

Bill Number

H.R. 2682

Origin Chamber

House

Congress

119th Congress, Session 1

Policy Area

Education

Status

Introduced

Latest Action

2025-04-07: Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.

Last Updated

2025-07-21T19:44:15Z

AI-Generated Summary

Purpose

The STOP Bullying Act aims to address bullying in elementary and secondary schools by amending the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA). It establishes a federal grant program to help states create task forces that study bullying, develop strategies to reduce it, and promote safer school environments, particularly for marginalized students.

Key Provisions

• Grant Program: The U.S. Secretary of Education provides grants to every state to form and operate an anti-bullying task force focused on elementary and secondary schools.
• Task Force Activities: Each task force must conduct a study on bullying within the state, covering:
• Local school district policies on bullying.
• Education efforts for teachers, parents, and students about bullying.
• Incidents of student violence or self-harm linked to bullying.
• Task Force Composition:
• Chaired by a designee of the state's Chief Education Officer.
• Includes at least one representative from diverse groups: teachers (selected with educator unions), school administrators, parents, K-12 students, guidance counselors, child psychologists, school psychologists, paraprofessionals (like teaching aides), lawyers, LGBTQ+ support specialists, state education agency staff focused on school climate, and others as needed by the chair.
• Members serve for the task force's duration; vacancies are filled similarly to initial appointments.
• Task forces may coordinate with other state boards or commissions.
• Reporting Requirements: Within one year of submitting the study, each task force submits a final report to the state's Chief Education Officer and the Secretary of Education. The report includes:
• Annual findings and conclusions.
• Recommendations for new laws or administrative changes.
• Best practices for reducing bullying, training school staff to recognize it, and helping parents discuss early warning signs with children.
• Reports must be made publicly available.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

This bill adds a new section (Sec. 8549D) to Subpart 2 of Part F of Title VIII of the ESEA (20 U.S.C. 7881 et seq.). It introduces a dedicated federal grant program for state-level anti-bullying task forces, which did not previously exist in the ESEA. This creates a structured mechanism for studying and addressing bullying, emphasizing data collection, diverse stakeholder involvement, and public reporting, without altering core ESEA funding or requirements.

Potential Impacts

• Government Agencies: State education departments and the U.S. Department of Education will manage grants, form task forces, and review reports, potentially increasing administrative workload but providing tools to improve school safety policies.
• Citizens: K-12 students, especially those from marginalized groups (e.g., LGBTQ+, Jewish, Sikh, or students with disabilities), may experience fewer bullying incidents, leading to better mental and physical health, academic performance, and overall school safety. Parents and educators gain resources for prevention and early intervention.
• International Relations: No direct impacts, as the bill focuses solely on domestic U.S. education policy.

Main Stakeholders Affected

• Students and Families: Particularly vulnerable groups facing higher bullying rates, who stand to benefit from safer schools and better support systems.
• Educators and School Staff: Teachers, administrators, counselors, psychologists, and paraprofessionals involved in task forces and required to implement anti-bullying education and policies.
• State and Local Education Agencies: Responsible for establishing task forces, conducting studies, and applying recommendations.
• Community Organizations: Groups providing services to LGBTQ+ youth or other marginalized students, with required representation on task forces.
• Federal Government: The Department of Education, which funds and oversees the program.

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications

• Legal: Reinforces schools' obligations to maintain safe learning environments under federal education law, potentially leading to new state policies or lawsuits if bullying tied to protected characteristics (e.g., race, sex, disability, sexual orientation) is not addressed. It promotes evidence-based approaches without mandating specific penalties.
• Constitutional: Aligns with the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment by targeting bullying based on traits like race, religion, gender identity, or disability, helping ensure equal access to education without discrimination.
• Political: Highlights congressional recognition of bullying as a national issue affecting over 10 million students, with findings emphasizing unreported incidents and impacts on marginalized communities. As a grant-based program, it encourages state-level action without federal overreach, potentially fostering bipartisan support for child welfare in education.

This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.

Sponsor

Rep. Krishnamoorthi, Raja [D-IL-8]

Cosponsors (13)

Rep. Khanna, Ro [D-CA-17], Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large], Rep. Tonko, Paul [D-NY-20], Rep. Soto, Darren [D-FL-9], Rep. Sherrill, Mikie [D-NJ-11], Rep. Nadler, Jerrold [D-NY-12], Rep. Takano, Mark [D-CA-39], Rep. Thanedar, Shri [D-MI-13], Rep. Craig, Angie [D-MN-2], Rep. McIver, LaMonica [D-NJ-10], Rep. Randall, Emily [D-WA-6], Rep. Schakowsky, Janice D. [D-IL-9], Rep. Leger Fernandez, Teresa [D-NM-3]

Recent Actions

• 2025-04-07: Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
• 2025-04-07: Introduced in House
• 2025-04-07: Introduced in House

Bill Versions

• STOP Bullying Act — issued 2025-04-07 — PDF (7 pages)