Montana Governor Steve Bullock on Tuesday signed an anti-bullying bill that has been in the works for more than a decade, the AP reports.
The new law defines bullying as any repeated harassment, hazing or threatening in person, or in writing including electronic communication. As proposed, it would have directed public school districts to adopt certain policies addressing the issue of bullying. The final version simply prohibits students and teachers from bullying any student in a public K-12 school. It does not explicitly refer to cyberbullying, but the law would forbid it under the general bullying ban.
Bullock signed the Bully Free Montana Act at Jefferson Elementary School in Helena flanked by Rep. Kim Dudik, Superintendent of Public Instruction Denise Juneau, students and their families.
Montana was the only state in the union to have no legislation passed to fight bullying. It's about time.
