A bill aimed at preventing bullying in Iowa schools was voted down in the Iowa House.
The legislation outlines ways to reduce bullying in schools, like extra training, programs, and correctively responding to bullying incidents. The bill prompts schools to create anti-bullying advisory committees that would be in charge of prevention, awareness and intervention of bullying.
In addition to those methods of preventing bullying, the bill would allow schools to take corrective action even if bullying happened off school grounds or on the internet.
Back in March of 2015, the Iowa Senate passed the bill 43-7. It was then sent on to the Iowa House. On Wednesday, May 20, 2015 Representative Chris Hall, a Democrat from Sioux City, called the legislation up for debate, according to the Quad City Times.
“It is our obligation to address this,” Hall said. “It is overdue.”
When the House voted on it, the bill was shot down with a 50-46 vote.
Representative Chuck Soderberg, a Republican from Le Mars, opposed the bill saying that if the school’s authority expanded off school grounds, it could potentially interfere with law enforcement.
Despite the bill’s defeat, Governor Branstad still has hopes for the bill to continue on, according to a spokesperson for the governor.
“The governor believes that every child in Iowa deserves a safe and respectful learning environment, and the anti-bullying bill… is a strong piece of legislation to protect our children,” said Jimmy Centers, a spokesman for the governor, according to the report.