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.
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 |
