H-2018.1

HOUSE BILL 1900

ByRepresentatives Senn, Thai, Berry, J. Johnson, Slatter, Goodman, Orwall, Lekanoff, Davis, Macri, and Pollet

AN ACT Relating to improving school districts' responses to complaints of discrimination, harassment, intimidation, and bullying; adding a new section to chapter 28A.300 RCW; and adding a new section to chapter 28A.642 RCW.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1. A new section is added to chapter 28A.300 RCW to read as follows:

(1) The office of the superintendent of public instruction shall develop, and periodically update, model student handbook language that includes information about policies and complaint procedures related to discrimination, including sexual harassment, and information about policies and complaint procedures related to harassment, intimidation, and bullying, as well as the overlap between the policies and complaint procedures. The model student handbook language must be posted publicly on the office of the superintendent of public instruction's website beginning August 1, 2022.

(2) Beginning with the 2022-23 school year, each school district must include the model student handbook language developed under subsection (1) of this section in any student, parent, employee, and volunteer handbook that it or one of its schools publishes and on the school district's website, and any school's website, if a school or the school district maintains a website. If a school district neither publishes a handbook nor maintains a website, it must provide the model student handbook language developed under subsection (1) of this section to each student, parent, employee, and volunteer at least annually.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2. A new section is added to chapter 28A.642 RCW to read as follows:

Each school district shall designate one person in the school district as the primary contact regarding school district compliance with this chapter. In addition to any other duties required by law and the school district, the primary contact must:

(1) Ensure that complaints of discrimination communicated to the school district are promptly investigated and resolved; and

(2) Communicate with the primary contact regarding the school district's policy and procedure prohibiting harassment, intimidation, and bullying under RCW 28A.600.477, and the primary contact regarding the school district's policies and procedures related to transgender students under RCW 28A.642.080.

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