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Introduced May 8, 2025 by Suzanne Bonamici · Last progress May 8, 2025
Prohibits corporal punishment in any school program that receives Federal funds and requires schools and districts to adopt positive behavioral approaches (like PBIS, restorative justice, trauma-informed care) instead of exclusionary or aversive discipline. It creates enforcement routes (private lawsuits, the Attorney General, and the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights), requires quick parent and agency notification after any use of corporal punishment, sets reporting and data requirements, and establishes a competitive grant program to help States and districts implement alternative discipline models. The bill also defines key terms, requires negotiated rulemaking within 180 days, directs Defense and Interior schools to comply, and authorizes ongoing appropriations to run the grant program and enforcement activities. It preserves other civil rights laws and excludes private non‑federally funded schools and homeschooling from coverage.
The bill replaces corporal punishment with a federally backed system of evidence-based, non-aversive disciplinary supports and strong enforcement and transparency measures — improving student safety and equity — but it imposes new costs, reporting burdens, privacy risks, and litigation exposure that may unevenly affect under-resourced districts.
Students in federally funded schools and programs will be prohibited from receiving corporal punishment (e.g., striking, spanking, paddling, painful restraints, chemical sprays, electroshock), removing a common source of physical harm and humiliation.
Students and school staff will gain access to evidence-based, non-aversive behavioral supports (PBIS, restorative justice, trauma-informed care) and required training for personnel, which can reduce suspensions and improve classroom climate and outcomes.
Parents and students get stronger enforcement tools (private lawsuits with damages and fees, prompt notifications) and the federal government (Attorney General, OCR/GEPA tools) gains authority to pursue civil enforcement, increasing deterrence and remedies for violations.
Local schools and districts will face new compliance and training costs to implement PBIS/restorative programs, track exclusionary discipline, and enforce the corporal-punishment ban, straining budgets especially in under-resourced areas.
Schools and programs face increased litigation and financial exposure (damage awards, attorneys' fees) plus diverted staff time for compliance and legal defense, which can drain resources away from instruction.
Smaller, rural, or under-resourced districts — and students in private school or homeschooling settings (which are exempt) — may struggle to implement or access supports, producing uneven protections across students and communities.