Senator Brownsberger submitted the following written testimony to the Joint Committee on the Judiciary.
TO: Joint Committee on the Judiciary
FROM: Senator William N. Brownsberger
RE: Senate Bill 631, An Act decriminalizing non-violent and verbal student misconduct
DATE: July 8, 2013
I am writing in favor of S631, An Act decriminalizing non-violent and verbal student misconduct.
This bill will require schools to solve non-violent behavioral problems in schools through methods other than arresting and prosecuting public school students for non-violent conduct. These punitive measures have fueled a school-to-prison pipeline. Approaches similar to this bill in Georgia and Alabama have yielded positive results, including reductions in arrests and youthful felonies.
I urge the Committee to report this legislation favorably.