Official Summary Text
SB1684 - 572R - Senate Fact Sheet
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ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Seventh
Legislature, Second Regular Session
FACT SHEET FOR
S.B. 1684
school liability;
bullying; serious inquiry
Purpose
Grants a cause
of action, against a public school, to a student or student's parent for
damages caused by the school's failure to address a threat to the student's
safety if the student suffers serious physical injury as a result of bullying, the
school receives a prior report that another student committed an act of
bullying against the injured student and the school negligently failed to
address the suspected act of bullying. Allows a court to award reasonable
attorney fees, expenses and damages to any claimant who prevails in an action
brought.
Background
A school
district governing board must prescribe and enforce policies and procedures to
prohibit students from harassing, intimidating and bullying other students on
school grounds, school property, school buses, at school bus stops, at
school-sponsored events and activities and through the use of electronic
technology or electronic communication on school computers, networks, forums
and mailing lists. The policies and procedures must include: 1) a procedure for
students, parents and school employees to confidentially report to school
officials incidents of harassment, intimidation or bullying; 2) a requirement
that school employees report a suspected incident in writing; 3) if an incident
is reported, a requirement that school officials provide a student who is an
alleged victim of the incident with a written copy of the rights, protections
and support services available; 4) a formal process for documenting a reported
incident and providing for the confidentiality, maintenance and disposition of such
documentation; 5) a formal process for the appropriate school officials to
investigate a reported incident; 6) disciplinary procedures for students who
have admitted or been found to have committed incidents of harassment,
intimidation or bullying; and 7) procedures designed to protect the health and
safety of students who are physically harmed as the result of incidents of
harassment, intimidation and bullying (
A.R.S.
� 15-341
).
There is no
anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this
legislation.
Provisions
1.
Grants
a cause of action, against a public school, to a student or a student's parent
for damages caused by the school's failure to address a threat to the student's
safety if:
a)
the student suffers serious physical injury as a result of bulling by
another student;
b)
the school or a school employee, including an individual who is
indirectly employed through a third-party contractor, receives at least one
prior report that another student committed an act of bullying against the
injured student; and
c)
the school negligently failed to address the suspected act of bullying
committed by the other student and against the injured student after receiving
a prior report.
2.
Allows a court to award reasonable attorney fees, expenses and damages
to any claimant who substantially prevails in an action brought.
3.
Determines
that a
prior report
includes:
a)
a written or verbal report that any individual makes to a school
employee; or
b)
a
school employee's personal observation of conduct that the employee reasonably
believes constitutes an act of bullying.
4.
Becomes effective on the general effective date.
Prepared by Senate Research
February 16, 2026
MH/SM/hk
Current Bill Text
Read the full stored bill text
SB1684 - 572R - S Ver
Senate Engrossed
school liability;
bullying; serious injury
State of Arizona
Senate
Fifty-seventh Legislature
Second Regular Session
2026
SENATE BILL 1684
AN
ACT
Amending title 15, chapter 1, article 1,
Arizona Revised Statutes, by adding section 15-120.08; relating to public
schools.
(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)
Be it
enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:
Section 1. Title 15, chapter 1, article 1,
Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended by adding section 15-120.08, to read:
START_STATUTE
15-120.08.
School liability; bullying; serious physical injury; court action;
definition
A. A student or a student's parent
may bring a cause of action against a public school for damages caused by the
school's failure to address a threat to the student's safety if all of the
following apply:
1. The student suffers serious
physical injury as a result of bullying by another student.
2. The school or an employee of the
school, including an individual who is indirectly employed through a third-party
contractor, receives at least one prior report that the other student committed
an act of bullying against the injured student.�
3. The school negligently failed to
address the suspected act of bullying committed by the other student and
against the injured student after receiving a prior report.
B. The court may award reasonable
attorney fees, expenses and damages to any claimant who substantially prevails
in an action BROUGHT pursuant to this section.��
C. For the purposes of this section,
"prior report" includes:
1. A written or verbal report that
any individual makes to an employee of the school.
2. A school employee's personal
observation of conduct that the employee reasonably believes constitutes an act
of bullying.
END_STATUTE