SB32 Alabama 2012 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Cam Ward

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2012

Title

Student harassment prevention, reassignment of students to another school, Education Department to post model policy on Internet website, immunity for reporting harassment, Student Harassment Prevention Act or the Alex Moore Anti-Bullying Act, Secs. 16-28B-1, 16-28B-4, 16-28B-5, 16-28B-9 am'd.

Summary

SB32 renames the Student Harassment Prevention Act as the Alex Moore Anti-Bullying Act, requires an online model policy, and allows transferring harassed students to another school while providing immunity to those who report harassment.

What This Bill Does

It enables a student who is harassed to be reassigned to another school to separate them from the harassment. It requires the Department of Education to post a model anti-harassment policy on its website and to develop a comprehensive policy framework for local boards. It grants civil liability immunity to people who report harassment, with limited exceptions for negligence. It also sets detailed policy requirements, investigation and reporting procedures, and consequences, and ties local funding to compliance; it includes a third-offense transfer rule for harassment among grades 6-12.

Who It Affects

• Students who experience harassment or who report harassment, including the possibility of being reassigned to another school and the protections for reporters.
• Local boards of education, school staff, and the Department of Education, who must adopt, implement, and post the model policy, establish procedures, and could lose state funding if not in compliance.

Key Provisions

• The act may also be known as the Alex Moore Anti-Bullying Act.
• A student may be reassigned to another school to separate them from harassment of a victim.
• The Department of Education must post a model anti-harassment policy on its website and develop a comprehensive policy framework for local boards.
• The model policy must cover prohibitions on harassment, definitions, expectations for student behavior, graduated consequences, reporting and investigation procedures, retaliation protections, and publicity of the policy.
• Teachers and other school employees with reliable information about harassment must immediately report it to the principal.
• For students in grades 6-12, a third harassment offense in a school year requires assignment to an alternative school.
• There is immunity from civil liability for reporting harassment, absent negligence or intentional misconduct.
• Local boards that fail to comply with required provisions can be ineligible to receive state funding.
• The Department will provide a list of approved anti-harassment training programs and materials on its website.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 25, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Education