Bill > H4060

This bill establishes a special 15-member commission to study and make recommendations about student discipline and bullying policies, with a particular focus on their impacts on educational outcomes, safety, and physical and mental health. The commission will include representatives from various educational and governmental organizations, such as legislators, school administrators, teachers' unions, and parent associations. The commission will investigate current student discipline policies, examining their effects on learning, safety, and bullying incidence, and will develop recommendations for discipline policies across elementary, middle, and high schools. These recommendations will explore different approaches to implementing policies, including state-level mandates, incentive-based approaches, model policies, or district-level implementations. Additionally, the bill includes a separate provision mandating that students in kindergarten through 8th grade in public and charter schools receive at least 30 consecutive minutes of supervised, unstructured free-play recess daily, which must be outdoors when weather permits. The commission is required to submit its findings and recommendations to key educational authorities by January 1, 2026.

Education

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/H4060