HB53 Student bullying adjusts definition characteristics of victim

Language of the bill as introduced.

Opening Statements

House Subcommittee

House Bill 53 helps protect students from bullying and harassment in Virginia schools.

It makes sure all students are protected and names groups that are often targeted, including students from our most vulnerable communities, based on race, religion, disability, sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity. These protections already exist in the Virginia Human Rights Act. This bill brings them into our school rules.

Right now, Virginia law does not clearly protect some of our most vulnerable students. That leaves many kids at risk.

This bill does not punish normal behavior or horseplay. It does not add new penalties. It gives schools clear guidance to take bullying seriously and act early.

These are important years in a child’s life. No student should feel unsafe or alone at school.

And we've passed this bill before. In 2024, the House and Senate passed this bill, only for it to be vetoed by the governor. Let's fix that and it get it passed and signed into law.

I hope it will be will of the subcommittee to report this bill to full committee.

---

Fiscal Impact

Appropriations reports in their fiscal impact statement that the bill has no fiscal impact on the state.