HB 736: Education; policies prohibiting bullying and cyberbullying; add and revise definitions

Georgia law already requires local school boards to adopt anti-bullying policies, but this bill rewrites and expands Code Section 20-2-751.4 to broaden what counts as bullying and to add new requirements for schools. The definition of bullying would expand to cover conduct that harms a student's physical or mental health, interferes with academic performance or attendance, or affects participation in school activities. New definitions are added for gender identity, physical or cognitive disability, sexual orientation, and progressive discipline. The bill also requires the Department of Education's model policy to include an appeal process, a student safety support plan, and progressive discipline options. Anonymous reports could not be the sole basis for discipline. Schools must document bullying reports for at least four years, report aggregate incidents annually to the state, run annual bullying prevention training, and make policies available in languages other than English. Most requirements take effect by July 1, 2026 or January 1, 2026.

• Broadens the definition of bullying to include conduct that harms a student's physical or mental health or interferes with academic performance, attendance, or participation in school activities.
• Adds new definitions to the law, including gender identity, sexual orientation, physical or cognitive disability, and progressive discipline (non-suspension disciplinary responses like counseling or community service).
• Requires local school systems to document bullying reports and investigations and keep them for at least four years, and to report aggregate bullying data annually to the Department of Education.
• Requires the Department of Education's model bullying policy to include an appeal process for accused or targeted students and a student safety support plan.
• Requires anti-bullying training materials and counseling provider lists to be available in languages other than English for non-English-speaking families.
• Bars schools from imposing formal discipline based solely on an anonymous bullying report.

Public school students and their parents, local school boards and administrators, teachers and other school employees who must report suspected bullying, and the Georgia Department of Education, which must update its model policy and maintain lists of training and counseling resources.

Students facing bullying, including cyberbullying that affects their mental health or ability to participate in school activities, would have more paths for action, including appeals and safety plans. Schools would face new recordkeeping, reporting, and training duties, and families who speak languages other than English would get translated materials.

• Section 1 expands the definition of 'bullying' in O.C.G.A. § 20-2-751.4 to cover conduct that harms a student's mental health or interferes with academic performance, attendance, or participation in school services.
• Adds definitions for 'gender identity,' 'physical or cognitive disability,' 'sexual orientation,' and 'progressive discipline,' the last covering non-suspension responses like counseling and community service.
• Requires local boards, by July 1, 2026, to adopt policies that prevent and prohibit bullying, consistent with the expanded definitions.
• Requires the Department of Education's model policy, due by January 1, 2026, to include an appeal process and a student safety support plan for bullying incidents.
• Requires anonymous bullying reports not be used as the sole basis for formal discipline.
• Requires antibullying training materials and counseling provider lists to include options in languages other than English for non-English-speaking families.
• New subsection (h) requires local systems to document and retain bullying reports for at least four years and report aggregate data annually to the state.
• New subsections (i) and (j) require annual bullying prevention programs, employee training, and a dissemination plan for the bullying policy.

1. 2025-03-11House Second Readers (House)
2. 2025-03-10House First Readers (House)
3. 2025-03-06House Hopper (House)

• Sheila Jones (D, HD-60)Primary sponsor

• school bullying
• cyberbullying
• student discipline
• education policy
• gender identity in schools