Most states in the US have provided a model bullying policy for schools in that state to use as a template when crafting or revising their own policies related to bullying, cyberbullying, harassment, intimidation, and threats. Please select your state in our Interactive Map to review your state’s model bullying policy (if they have one).
Please see below for a chart that will help you compare bullying policies across states.
| State | Provides a model bullying policy | Defines bullying | Mentions cyberbullying | Refers to off- campus bullying behaviors | Includes type of punishment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | YES | YES | NO | YES | YES |
| Alaska | YES | YES | NO | NO | YES |
| Arizona | NO | NO | NO | NO | YES |
| Arkansas | NO | YES | YES | YES | YES |
| California | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES |
| Colorado | YES | YES | NO | NO | 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 | NO | YES | YES | YES | YES |
| Idaho | NO | YES | NO | NO | YES |
| Illinois | NO | YES | YES | YES | YES |
| Indiana | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES |
| Iowa | YES | YES | YES | NO | YES |
| Kansas | YES | YES | YES | NO | NO |
| Kentucky | YES | YES | NO | NO | YES |
| Louisiana | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES |
| Maine | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES |
| Maryland | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES |
| Massachusetts | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES |
| Michigan | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES |
| Minnesota | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES |
| Mississippi | YES | YES | NO | NO | YES |
| Missouri | NO | YES | YES | YES | YES |
| Montana | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES |
| Nebraska | YES | YES | NO | NO | YES |
| Nevada | YES | YES | YES | NO | YES |
| New Hampshire | NO | YES | YES | YES | YES |
| New Jersey | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES |
| New Mexico | YES | YES | YES | NO | YES |
| New York | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES |
| North Carolina | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES |
| North Dakota | NO | YES | NO | NO | YES |
| Ohio | YES | YES | NO | NO | YES |
| Oklahoma | YES | YES | NO | NO | YES |
| Oregon | NO | YES | YES | NO | YES |
| Pennsylvania | NO | YES | YES | YES | YES |
| Rhode Island | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES |
| South Carolina | YES | YES | NO | NO | YES |
| South Dakota | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES |
| Tennessee | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES |
| Texas | NO | YES | YES | YES | YES |
| Utah | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES |
| Vermont | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES |
| Virginia | YES | YES | NO | NO | YES |
| Washington | YES | YES | NO | NO | YES |
| West Virginia | YES | YES | YES | NO | YES |
| Wisconsin | YES | YES | YES | NO | YES |
| Wyoming | YES | YES | NO | NO | YES |
| STATE TOTALS | 40 | 49 | 35 | 29 | 49 |
| Note: If the state does not have a model bullying policy, attributes noted above are included in state law. See https://cyberbullying.org/bullying-laws for more information. | |||||
Suggested citation: Patchin, J. W. & Hinduja, S. (2023). Bullying Policies Across the United States. Cyberbullying Research Center. https://cyberbullying.org/bullying-policy
