H-1283              _______________________________________________

                                                    HOUSE BILL NO. 840

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                              50th Legislature                              1987 Regular Session

By Representatives Cole, Allen, Rust, Valle, Jacobsen, Belcher, Nelson, R. King, Scott, Dellwo, Pruitt, Unsoeld, Brekke, Fisher, Sprenkle, Leonard and P. King

Read first time 2/11/87 and referred to Committee on Judiciary.  Referred to Committee on Education 2/13/87.

AN ACT Relating to corporal punishment in public schools; and adding a new section to chapter 28A.58 RCW.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  A new section is added to chapter 28A.58 RCW to read as follows:

          School districts and school district employees shall not use or authorize the use of corporal punishment as a means of disciplining students within the public schools.  For purposes of this section corporal punishment includes hitting, spanking, slapping, or striking a student.  This section does not prohibit the use of physical restraint when reasonable and necessary to protect any person from physical injury or to prevent the commission of a crime.