Florida Senate - 2012                        COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
       Bill No. SB 1886
       
       
       
       
       
       
                                Barcode 158794                          
       
                              LEGISLATIVE ACTION                        
                    Senate             .             House              
                   Comm: WD            .                                
                  02/01/2012           .                                
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       The Committee on Education Pre-K - 12 (Wise) recommended the
       following:
       
    1         Senate Amendment (with title amendment)
    2  
    3  
    4         Delete lines 37 - 70
    5  and insert:
    6         (1) It is the intent of the Legislature to promote a safe
    7  and supportive learning environment in schools, to protect
    8  students and staff from conduct that poses a serious threat to
    9  school safety, and to encourage schools to use alternatives to
   10  expulsion or referral to law enforcement agencies by addressing
   11  disruptive behavior through restitution, civil citation, teen
   12  court, neighborhood restorative justice, school offense
   13  protocols, or similar programs. The Legislature finds that zero
   14  tolerance policies are not intended to be rigorously applied to
   15  petty acts of misconduct and misdemeanors, including, but not
   16  limited to, minor fights or disturbances. The Legislature finds
   17  that zero-tolerance policies must apply equally to all students
   18  regardless of their economic status, race, or disability.
   19         (2) Each district school board shall adopt a policy of zero
   20  tolerance that:
   21         (a) Defines criteria for reporting to a law enforcement
   22  agency any act that occurs whenever or wherever students are
   23  within the jurisdiction of the district school board that poses
   24  a serious threat to school safety. Acts that do not pose a
   25  serious threat to school safety shall be handled within the
   26  school’s disciplinary system.
   27         (b) Defines acts that pose a serious threat to school
   28  safety.
   29         (c) Defines petty acts of misconduct.
   30         (d) Provides that school officials shall not request a law
   31  enforcement agency to respond to petty acts of misconduct. Such
   32  incidents shall be handled within the school system’s discipline
   33  system.
   34         (e) Provides, within existing inservice training modules, a
   35  comprehensive training program for school administrators and
   36  teachers regarding the potential negative consequences and
   37  future effects of an arrest of a juvenile and of the existing
   38  in-school alternatives to discipline a student for committing
   39  petty acts of misconduct without involving a law enforcement
   40  agency.
   41         (f)(d) Minimizes the victimization of students, staff, or
   42  volunteers, including taking all steps necessary to protect the
   43  victim of any violent crime from any further victimization.
   44         (g)(e) Establishes a procedure that provides each student
   45  with the opportunity for a review of the disciplinary action
   46  imposed pursuant to s. 1006.07.
   47  
   48  ================= T I T L E  A M E N D M E N T ================
   49  And the title is amended as follows:
   50  
   51         Delete line 16
   52  and insert:
   53         disciplinary system; requiring each district school
   54         board to implement a training program for school
   55         administrators and teachers regarding the negative
   56         consequences and future effects of an arrest of a
   57         juvenile and of the existing in-school alternatives to
   58         discipline a student for committing petty acts of
   59         misconduct without involving a law enforcement agency;
   60         requiring that each district