First Regular Session
Sixty-second General Assembly
LLS NO. 99-0582.01 Jeff Conway SENATE BILL 99-166
STATE OF COLORADO
BY SENATOR Rupert;
also REPRESENTATIVE Bacon.
EDUCATION
A BILL FOR AN ACT
101 CONCERNING A REQUIREMENT FOR LOCAL BOARDS OF EDUCATION TO
102 ADOPT POLICIES REGARDING SAFE LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS THAT
103 INCLUDE PROHIBITIONS AGAINST DISCRIMINATION.
Bill Summary
(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced and does
not necessarily reflect any amendments that may be subsequently
adopted.)
Requires each local board of education to adopt a written policy
with the goal of establishing a safe and respectful learning environment
free from harassment and abuse.
Requires that the policy ensure equal educational opportunities and
prohibit discrimination and acts of intimidation based on disability, race,
creed, color, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, religion, ancestry,
or need for special educational services.
Requires that the policy and any significant changes to the policy
be distributed to students and posted at the school.
1 Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado:
2 SECTION 1. Legislative declaration. The general assembly
3 hereby finds and declares that section 2 of article IX of the state
4 constitution requires the maintenance of a thorough and uniform system
5 of free public schools throughout the state wherein children between six
6 and twenty-one years of age may be educated gratuitously. The general
[ ] denotes HOUSE amendment. { } denotes SENATE amendment.
Capital letters indicate new material to be added to existing statute.
Dashes through the words indicate material to be deleted from existing statute.
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1 assembly further finds that the fourteenth amendment to the U.S.
2 Constitution requires that all citizens be afforded equal protection of the
3 laws, that equal access to educational opportunities should be the goal of
4 every school district in the state of Colorado, and that all students in
5 Colorado public schools should be afforded an educational environment
6 free from harassment, intimidation and discrimination. The general
7 assembly further finds that a respectful learning environment in which the
8 diversity of the school community is celebrated will promote good
9 citizenship and lead to enhanced student achievement. It is therefore the
10 intent of the general assembly in enacting this act to encourage safe
11 school environments in which all students may receive a quality
12 education.
13 SECTION 2. 22-32-109 (1), Colorado Revised Statutes, is
14 amended BY THE ADDITION OF A NEW PARAGRAPH to read:
15 22-32-109. Board of education - specific duties. (1) In addition
16 to any other duty required to be performed by law, each board of
17 education shall have and perform the following specific duties:
18 (cc) TO ADOPT A WRITTEN POLICY WITH THE GOAL OF
19 ESTABLISHING IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS OF THE DISTRICT A SAFE AND
20 RESPECTFUL LEARNING ENVIRONMENT THAT IS FREE FROM HARASSMENT
21 AND ABUSE. THE POLICY SHALL ENSURE EQUAL EDUCATIONAL
22 OPPORTUNITIES AND, AT A MINIMUM, SHALL INCLUDE PROVISIONS
23 PROHIBITING DISCRIMINATION AND ACTS OF INTIMIDATION ON THE BASIS
24 OF DISABILITY, RACE, CREED, COLOR, GENDER, SEXUAL ORIENTATION,
25 NATIONAL ORIGIN, RELIGION, ANCESTRY, OR NEED FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION
26 SERVICES. COPIES OF SUCH POLICY SHALL BE DISTRIBUTED ONCE EACH
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1 YEAR TO EACH STUDENT IN ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE, JUNIOR HIGH, AND HIGH
2 SCHOOL AND TO EACH NEW STUDENT IN A SCHOOL DISTRICT AND SHALL BE
3 POSTED IN EACH PUBLIC SCHOOL OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT. ANY
4 SIGNIFICANT CHANGE IN THE POLICY SHALL BE DISTRIBUTED TO EACH
5 STUDENT AND POSTED IN EACH PUBLIC SCHOOL OF THE DISTRICT.
6 SECTION 3. Effective date. This act shall take effect July 1,
7 1999.
8 SECTION 4. Safety clause. The general assembly hereby finds,
9 determines, and declares that this act is necessary for the immediate
10 preservation of the public peace, health, and safety.