Cyber Bullying Laws

February 17, 2020

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There is no federal law that specifically applies to bullying. In some cases, when bullying is based on race or ethnicity, color, national origin, sex, disability, or religion*, bullying overlaps with harassment and schools are legally obligated to address it. Read more about when bullying overlaps with harassment and how to report it to the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights and U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division.

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Criminal Sanction?

All states have various criminal laws that might apply to bullying behaviors, depending on the nature of the act. For example, if someone is physically hurting another, assault statutes might apply. All states also have criminal harassment and/or stalking statutes, and most include explicit reference to electronic forms. States with a “YES” in this column are the ones that expressly include electronic forms of harassment.

School Sanction?

In certain states, the bullying law specifies provisions allowing the school to discipline students in appropriate and measured ways.

School Policy?

In every state except Montana, the bullying law mandates schools to have a formal policy to help with identification of the behavior and discuss the possible formal and/or informal disciplinary responses that can follow. Some laws require certain elements to be included in the policy (such as a specific definition of bullying), while others simply require a policy without specification.

Off-campus?

Federal case law allows schools to discipline students for off-campus behavior that results in a substantial disruption of the learning environment at school. States with a “YES” in this column have simply codified that standard in state statute.

State	Includes Cyberbullying or Online Harassment	Criminal Sanction for Cyberbullying or Electronic Harassment	School Sanction for Cyberbullying	School Policy	Includes Off-Campus	Law Last Updated
Alabama	YES	YES	NO	YES	NO	2009
Alaska	NO	YES	YES	YES	NO	7/1/2007
Arizona	YES	YES	YES	YES	NO	4/19/2011
Arkansas	YES	YES	YES	YES	YES	7/1/2011
California	YES	YES	YES	YES	YES	10/10/2013
Colorado	YES	YES	YES	YES	NO	7/1/2015
Connecticut	YES	YES	YES	YES	YES	7/13/2011
Delaware	YES	YES	YES	YES	NO	8/10/2016
FEDERAL	proposed	NO	NO	NO	NO	9/1/2009
Florida	YES	YES	YES	YES	YES	7/1/2013
Georgia	YES	YES	YES	YES	proposed	8/1/2011
Hawaii	YES	YES	YES	YES	NO	6/28/2012
Idaho	YES	YES	YES	YES	NO	7/1/2015
Illinois	YES	YES	YES	YES	YES	1/1/2015
Indiana	YES	YES	YES	YES	NO	7/1/2018
Iowa	YES	YES	YES	YES	NO	2007
Kansas	YES	YES	YES	YES	NO	6/28/2013
Kentucky	YES	YES	YES	YES	NO	4/19/2016
Louisiana	YES	YES	YES	YES	YES	8/1/2010
Maine	YES	NO	YES	YES	NO	2011
Maryland	YES	YES	YES	YES	NO	5/2/2013
Massachusetts	YES	YES	YES	YES	YES	5/3/2010
Michigan	YES	YES	NO	YES	YES	3/27/2019
Minnesota	YES	NO	YES	YES	YES	7/1/2014
Mississippi	YES	YES	YES	YES	NO	3/11/2011
Missouri	YES	YES	YES	YES	NO	2016
Montana	YES	YES	NO	YES	NO	4/21/2015
Nebraska	YES	NO	YES	YES	proposed	2008
Nevada	YES	YES	NO	YES	NO	3/23/2015
New Hampshire	YES	NO	NO	YES	YES	7/1/2010
New Jersey	YES	YES	YES	YES	YES	1/17/2014
New Mexico	YES	NO	YES	YES	NO	4/1/2015
New York	YES	YES	YES	YES	YES	7/1/2012
North Carolina	YES	YES	YES	YES	NO	10/1/2012
North Dakota	YES	YES	YES	YES	NO	7/1/2012
Ohio	YES	YES	YES	YES	NO	11/4/2012
Oklahoma	YES	YES	YES	YES	NO	6/10/2013
Oregon	YES	YES	YES	YES	NO	7/2/2012
Pennsylvania	YES	YES	YES	YES	YES	7/10/2015
Rhode Island	YES	YES	YES	YES	NO	6/20/2012
South Carolina	YES	YES	YES	YES	NO	2006
South Dakota	YES	YES	YES	YES	YES	3/22/2012
Tennessee	YES	YES	YES	YES	YES	2014
Texas	YES	YES	YES	YES	YES	6/12/2017
Utah	YES	YES	YES	YES	NO	9/1/2009
Vermont	YES	YES	YES	YES	YES	5/11/2012
Virginia	YES	YES	YES	YES	NO	7/1/2013
Washington	YES	YES	YES	YES	NO	8/1/2010
Washington DC	YES	NO	YES	YES	YES	6/22/2012
West Virginia	YES	YES	YES	YES	NO	7/1/2012
Wisconsin	NO	YES	YES	YES	NO	8/15/2010
Wyoming	YES	NO	YES	YES	NO	12/31/2009