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Please click on any state to learn exactly what their bullying laws include.

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.

List of States, in case you don’t want to use the map above…

Bullying Laws Across America

StateIncludes Cyberbullying or Online HarassmentCriminal Sanction
for Cyberbullying or Electronic Harassment
School Sanction
for Cyberbullying
School PolicySpecifically includes Off-Campus
AlabamaYESYESYESYESYES
AlaskaNOYESYESYESNO
ArizonaYESYESYESYESNO
ArkansasYESYESYESYESYES
CaliforniaYESYESYESYESYES
ColoradoYESYESYESYESYES
ConnecticutYESYESYESYESYES
DelawareYESYESYESYESYES
FloridaYESYESYESYESYES
GeorgiaYESYESYESYESYES
HawaiiYESYESYESYESYES
IdahoYESYESYESYESNO
IllinoisYESYESYESYESYES
IndianaYESYESYESYESYES
IowaYESYESYESYESNO
KansasYESYESYESYESNO
KentuckyYESYESYESYESYES
LouisianaYESYESYESYESYES
MaineYESNOYESYESYES
MarylandYESYESYESYESYES
MassachusettsYESYESYESYESYES
MichiganYESYESNOYESYES
MinnesotaYESNOYESYESYES
MississippiYESYESYESYESNO
MissouriYESYESYESYESNO
MontanaYESYESNOYESNO
NebraskaYESNOYESYESNO
NevadaYESYESNOYESNO
New HampshireYESNONOYESYES
New JerseyYESYESYESYESYES
New MexicoYESNOYESYESNO
New YorkYESYESYESYESYES
North CarolinaYESYESYESYESNO
North DakotaYESYESYESYESYES
OhioYESYESYESYESNO
OklahomaYESYESYESYESNO
OregonYESYESYESYESNO
PennsylvaniaYESYESYESYESYES
Rhode IslandYESYESYESYESNO
South CarolinaYESYESYESYESNO
South DakotaYESYESYESYESYES
TennesseeYESYESYESYESYES
TexasYESYESYESYESYES
UtahYESYESYESYESYES
VermontYESYESYESYESYES
VirginiaYESYESYESYESNO
WashingtonYESYESYESYESNO
West VirginiaYESYESYESYESNO
WisconsinNOYESYESYESNO
WyomingYESNOYESYESNO
FEDERALproposedNONONONO
Washington DCYESNOYESYESYES
STATE TOTALS4845464928