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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…

State Includes Cyberbullying or Online Harassment Criminal Sanction
for Cyberbullying or Electronic Harassment
School Sanction
for Cyberbullying
School Policy Specifically includes Off-Campus
Alabama YES YES YES YES YES
Alaska NO YES YES YES NO
Arizona YES YES YES YES NO
Arkansas YES YES YES YES YES
California YES YES YES YES YES
Colorado YES YES YES YES YES
Connecticut YES YES YES YES YES
Delaware YES YES YES YES YES
Florida YES YES YES YES YES
Georgia YES YES YES YES YES
Hawaii YES YES YES YES YES
Idaho YES YES YES YES NO
Illinois YES YES YES YES YES
Indiana YES YES YES YES YES
Iowa YES YES YES YES NO
Kansas YES YES YES YES NO
Kentucky YES YES YES YES YES
Louisiana YES YES YES YES YES
Maine YES NO YES YES YES
Maryland YES YES YES YES YES
Massachusetts YES YES YES YES YES
Michigan YES YES NO YES YES
Minnesota YES NO YES YES YES
Mississippi YES YES YES YES NO
Missouri YES YES YES YES NO
Montana YES YES NO YES NO
Nebraska YES NO YES YES NO
Nevada YES YES NO YES NO
New Hampshire YES NO NO YES YES
New Jersey YES YES YES YES YES
New Mexico YES NO YES YES NO
New York YES YES YES YES YES
North Carolina YES YES YES YES NO
North Dakota YES YES YES YES YES
Ohio YES YES YES YES NO
Oklahoma YES YES YES YES NO
Oregon YES YES YES YES NO
Pennsylvania YES YES YES YES YES
Rhode Island YES YES YES YES NO
South Carolina YES YES YES YES NO
South Dakota YES YES YES YES YES
Tennessee YES YES YES YES YES
Texas YES YES YES YES YES
Utah YES YES YES YES YES
Vermont YES YES YES YES YES
Virginia YES YES YES YES NO
Washington YES YES YES YES NO
West Virginia YES YES YES YES NO
Wisconsin NO YES YES YES NO
Wyoming YES NO YES YES NO
FEDERAL proposed NO NO NO NO
Washington DC YES NO YES YES YES
STATE TOTALS 48 45 46 49 28