The seclusion and restraint of pupils

What it would have done

Summary by the Legislative Reference Bureau, the Legislature's nonpartisan drafting office. It's their wording, not ours.

Under current law, individuals who work in a public school, including a charter school, or a private school participating in the Special Needs Scholarship Program may use seclusion or physical restraint on a pupil at school only if certain conditions are met. One of the conditions is that the pupil's behavior must present a clear, present, and imminent risk to the physical safety of the pupil or others. Other conditions are that, for purposes of seclusion, the seclusion may only last for as long as is necessary to resolve the risk of physical safety to the pupil or others and, for purposes of physical restraint, the degree of force and the duration of the restraint may only be what is necessary to resolve the risk of physical safety to the pupil or others. This bill changes these conditions to include pupil behavior that presents a clear, present, and imminent risk of serious emotional distress for the pupil or others or creates a considerable disruption to a classroom or other learning environment.

In other words, under the bill, an individual who works in a public school or an SNSP school may use seclusion or physical restraint on a pupil if the pupil's behavior presents a clear, present, and imminent risk to the physical safety of the pupil or others, presents a clear, present, and imminent risk of serious emotional distress for the pupil or others, or creates a considerable disruption to a classroom or other learning environment, and may use the seclusion or physical restraint for only as long as is necessary to resolve the risk of physical safety or serious emotional distress or the considerable disruption to the classroom or learning environment.

Who's behind it

3 senators are its authors⁠. All 3 are Republicans.

6 more lawmakers signed on in support⁠.