Keeping All Students Safe Act
- Bill Number
- H.R. 6617
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Education
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2025-12-11: Referred to the Committee on Education and Workforce, and in addition to the Committee on Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- Last Updated
- 2026-07-10T08:05:34Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose
The Keeping All Students Safe Act aims to protect students in educational programs receiving federal funding by prohibiting harmful seclusion and restraint practices, reducing the overall use of physical restraints, and promoting evidence-based alternatives like positive behavioral interventions. It seeks to ensure safer school environments, especially for students with disabilities, while providing training, reporting mechanisms, and enforcement tools.
Key Provisions
- Definitions: Establishes clear terms, such as seclusion (involuntary isolation in a locked or prevented-exit space, excluding brief timeouts), mechanical restraint (devices restricting movement), chemical restraint (non-prescribed drugs for behavior control), and physical restraint (personal immobilization, excluding escorts or approved medical devices). It also defines positive behavioral interventions and supports as schoolwide strategies to improve behavior and climate.
- Prohibitions (Title I): Bans seclusion, mechanical and chemical restraints, and dangerous physical restraints (e.g., those restricting breathing or contraindicated for a student's health/disability) in federally funded programs, including public schools, Head Start, and certain private schools serving special education students. Allows physical restraint only in imminent danger situations, by trained personnel, using minimal force, and ending immediately when danger stops.
- Additional Requirements: Mandates training in crisis intervention (covering de-escalation, first aid, and positive supports) for school staff, law enforcement officers, and security guards. Requires post-restraint notifications to parents, meetings to review incidents, and referrals for behavioral assessments if needed. Prohibits planning restraints in individual student plans.
- Enforcement and Remedies: Creates a private right of action for students/parents to sue programs (not individual personnel) for violations, seeking damages, injunctions, and fees. Waives sovereign immunity for programs. The Secretary of Education (and HHS for Head Start) can investigate complaints and withhold federal funds for non-compliance.
- State Plans and Reporting (Title II): Requires states to submit annual plans detailing compliance policies, training, public awareness, and oversight (e.g., monitoring, site visits). Mandates annual public reports on restraint incidents, disaggregated by demographics, injury/death, training status, and school type, while protecting student privacy.
- Grants (Title II): Authorizes $40 million annually (FY 2026–2030) for states to enforce prohibitions, improve data collection, and fund positive interventions (e.g., mental health supports, restorative justice). States may subgrant to local agencies; includes equitable participation for private/early childhood programs.
- General Provisions (Title III): Requires a national assessment of the law's effectiveness, with reports to Congress. Enhances protection and advocacy systems for investigating injuries/deaths. Applies to Interior/Defense Department schools via regulations. Authorizes law enforcement arrests for crimes but excludes private/home schools from requirements. Includes severability clause.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Introduces federal-level prohibitions on seclusion and certain restraints, standardizing protections across states where previously regulations varied or were absent (e.g., building on but expanding the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and Rehabilitation Act).
- Adds mandatory training certification, post-incident procedures, and detailed reporting/disaggregation not uniformly required before, shifting focus from reactive discipline to preventive, evidence-based supports.
- Establishes new funding streams (grants) and enforcement tools (fund withholding, private lawsuits without immunity barriers), unlike prior voluntary guidelines.
- Explicitly excludes planned restraints from student plans and clarifies allowances for emergencies or medical devices, refining ambiguities in current disability laws.
Potential Impacts
- Government Agencies: Increases workload for the Department of Education (oversight, investigations, assessments), HHS (Head Start compliance), and states (plans, reporting, training). Interior and Defense Departments must adapt regulations for their schools. Fund withholding could reduce budgets for non-compliant programs.
- Citizens (Students and Families): Enhances student safety by limiting harmful practices, potentially reducing injuries/deaths (especially for disabled or minority students). Provides faster parent notifications and legal recourse, empowering families but possibly increasing litigation.
- Educational Institutions: Schools must invest in training and alternatives, improving climates but straining resources in underfunded areas. Reporting promotes transparency and data-driven improvements.
- International Relations: No direct impacts; the bill is domestic-focused on U.S. education policy.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Students: Primarily those in public schools, Head Start, special education, or federally funded programs; especially vulnerable groups like children with disabilities, racial/ethnic minorities, and economically disadvantaged youth.
- Parents and Families: Gain notification rights, involvement in post-incident reviews, and lawsuit options.
- School Personnel: Teachers, leaders, support staff, security guards, and law enforcement in schools must undergo training and follow strict protocols, facing no personal liability but program-level accountability.
- Educational Agencies: State/local educational agencies (SEAs/LEAs) handle plans, reporting, grants, and compliance; Head Start agencies report separately.
- Federal Entities: Departments of Education, HHS, Interior, and Defense oversee implementation and funding.
- Advocacy Groups: Protection systems gain expanded investigation roles for incidents.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Creates enforceable federal standards with civil remedies, potentially increasing lawsuits against schools but protecting individual staff. Aligns with disability rights laws (e.g., IDEA, ADA) by mandating assessments and accommodations, while clarifying law enforcement's arrest authority to avoid overreach.
- Constitutional: Explicitly waives Eleventh Amendment sovereign immunity for programs, allowing federal/state court suits—a rare federal override of state protections, which could face challenges but promotes accountability. Severability ensures partial invalidation doesn't derail the act.
- Political: Bipartisan sponsorship (119th Congress) signals broad support for child safety, but implementation may spark debates on school discipline, resource allocation, and federal vs. state control. Annual reporting and public comments foster transparency, potentially influencing education policy nationwide.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Rep. Beyer, Donald S. [D-VA-8]
Cosponsors (48)
Rep. Hamadeh, Abraham J. [R-AZ-8], Rep. Scott, Robert C. "Bobby" [D-VA-3], Rep. Lynch, Stephen F. [D-MA-8], Rep. Davis, Danny K. [D-IL-7], Rep. Peters, Scott H. [D-CA-50], Rep. Bonamici, Suzanne [D-OR-1], Rep. McCollum, Betty [D-MN-4], Rep. Tlaib, Rashida [D-MI-12], Rep. Castro, Joaquin [D-TX-20], Rep. McBath, Lucy [D-GA-6], Rep. Dean, Madeleine [D-PA-4], Rep. Schakowsky, Janice D. [D-IL-9], Rep. DelBene, Suzan K. [D-WA-1], Rep. Simon, Lateefah [D-CA-12], Rep. Chu, Judy [D-CA-28], Rep. Ross, Deborah K. [D-NC-2], Rep. DeSaulnier, Mark [D-CA-10], Rep. Moulton, Seth [D-MA-6], Rep. Brown, Shontel M. [D-OH-11], Rep. Evans, Dwight [D-PA-3], Rep. Barragán, Nanette Diaz [D-CA-44], Rep. Castor, Kathy [D-FL-14], Rep. Sánchez, Linda T. [D-CA-38], Rep. Jayapal, Pramila [D-WA-7], Rep. Gonzalez, Vicente [D-TX-34], Rep. Hayes, Jahana [D-CT-5], Rep. Pingree, Chellie [D-ME-1], Rep. Lee, Summer L. [D-PA-12], Rescom. Hernández, Pablo Jose [D-PR-At Large], Rep. Pocan, Mark [D-WI-2], Rep. Mrvan, Frank J. [D-IN-1], Rep. Keating, William R. [D-MA-9], Rep. Gottheimer, Josh [D-NJ-5], Rep. Scott, David [D-GA-13], Rep. Balint, Becca [D-VT-At Large], Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large], Rep. Grijalva, Adelita S. [D-AZ-7], Rep. Landsman, Greg [D-OH-1], Rep. Subramanyam, Suhas [D-VA-10], Rep. Beatty, Joyce [D-OH-3], Rep. Cisneros, Gilbert Ray [D-CA-31], Rep. Stevens, Haley M. [D-MI-11], Rep. Tonko, Paul [D-NY-20], Rep. Casten, Sean [D-IL-6], Rep. Krishnamoorthi, Raja [D-IL-8], Rep. McClellan, Jennifer L. [D-VA-4], Rep. Vindman, Eugene Simon [D-VA-7], Rep. Hoyle, Val T. [D-OR-4]
Recent Actions
- 2025-12-11: Referred to the Committee on Education and Workforce, and in addition to the Committee on Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- 2025-12-11: Referred to the Committee on Education and Workforce, and in addition to the Committee on Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- 2025-12-11: Introduced in House
- 2025-12-11: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Keeping All Students Safe Act — issued 2025-12-11 — PDF (44 pages)