Bill > HB454

This bill amends Missouri state law by adding a new section to Chapter 167 that prohibits zero-tolerance disciplinary policies in public schools. Specifically, the bill requires school districts to eliminate any disciplinary approach that mandates automatic consequences for students without allowing for individualized consideration of the specific circumstances. Zero-tolerance policies, which typically involve fixed punishments like automatic suspension, detention, or expulsion regardless of context, would be banned. The legislation ensures that school administrators must have the discretion to modify disciplinary actions on a case-by-case basis, recognizing that each disciplinary situation may have unique factors that warrant a more nuanced response. By preventing blanket, inflexible punishments, the bill aims to create a more fair and context-sensitive approach to student discipline that can potentially reduce overly harsh penalties and support more constructive interventions.

https://house.mo.gov/Bill.aspx?bill=HB454&year=2025&code=R