Comparing SB 662 → SB 714 — Prohibit Corporal Punishment in Schools.

Struck = only in SB 662 · added = only in SB 714.

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Florida Senate - 2026 SB 662 By Senator Bernard 24-00586-26 2026662__ A bill to be entitled An act relating to corporal punishment;
GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA SESSION 2025 S 1 SENATE BILL 714 Short Title:
amending s.
Prohibit Corporal Punishment in Schools.
1002.20, F.S.;
(Public) Sponsors:
prohibiting school district employees from using corporal punishment on public school students;
Senator Robinson (Primary Sponsor).
amending ss.
Referred to:
1003.32, 1006.07, and 1012.28, F.S.;
Rules and Operations of the Senate March 26, 2025 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT TO PROHIBIT CORPORAL PUNISHMENT IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
conforming provisions to changes made by the act;
Whereas, "corporal punishment" is defined in statute as "the intentional infliction of physical pain upon the body of a student as a disciplinary measure";
providing an effective date.
and Whereas, more than 80 research studies confirm that corporal punishment is not associated with improvement in academic outcomes, but is associated with impeding students' psychological and emotional development;
9 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
and Whereas, 31 states have enacted statutory bans on corporal punishment in public schools;
Section 1.
and Whereas, none of this State's 115 local school administrative units currentlyallow the use of corporal punishment;
Paragraph (c) of subsection (4) of section 1002.20, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
and Whereas, the State Board of Education, the North Carolina Parent Teacher Association, and virtually all professional and advocacy organizations related to children recommend the prohibition of corporal punishment in public schools;
1002.20 K-12 student and parent rights.—Parents of public school students must receive accurate and timely information regarding their child’s academic progress and must be informed of ways they can help their child to succeed in school.
Now, therefore, The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
K-12 students and their parents are afforded numerous statutory rights including, but not limited to, the following:
SECTION 1.
(4) DISCIPLINE.— (c) Corporal punishment.—A school district employee may not use 1.
G.S.
In accordance with s.
115C-390.4 reads as rewritten:
1003.32, corporal punishment, as defined in s.
"§ 115C-390.4.
1003.01, on of a public school student may only be administered by a teacher or school principal within guidelines of the school principal and according to district school board policy.
Corporal punishment.punishment prohibited.
Another adult must be present and must be informed in the student’s presence of the reason for the punishment.
(a) Each governing body of a public school unit shall determine whether corporal punishment will be permitted in its public school unit.
Upon request, the teacher or school principal must provide the parent with a written explanation of the reason for the punishment and Page 1 of 5 CODING:
Notwithstanding a governing body's prohibition on the use of corporal punishment, school personnel may use Corporal punishment is prohibited.
Words stricken are deletions;
Use of physical restraint in accordance with federal law and G.S.
words underlined are additions.
115C-391.1 and reasonable use of force pursuant to G.S.
Florida Senate - 2026 SB 662 24-00586-26 2026662__ the name of the other adult who was present.
115C-390.3.G.S.
2.
115C-390.3 shall not be considered corporal punishment.
A district school board having a policy authorizing the use of corporal punishment as a form of discipline shall include in such policy a requirement that a parent provide consent for the school to administer corporal punishment.
(b) To the extent that corporal punishment is permitted, the policies adopted for the administration of corporal punishment shall include at a minimum the following:
The district school board policy may require such consent for the school year, or before each administration.
(1) Corporal punishment shall not be administered in a classroom with other students present.
The district school board shall review its policy on corporal punishment once every 3 years during a district school board meeting held pursuant to s.
(2) Only a teacher, principal, or assistant principal may administer corporal punishment and may do so only in the presence of a principal, assistant principal, or teacher who shall be informed beforehand and in the student's presence of the reason for the punishment.
1001.372.
(3) A school person shall provide the student's parent with notification that corporal punishment has been administered, and the person who administered the corporal punishment shall provide the student's parent a written explanationofthereasonsandthenameofthesecondpersonwhowaspresent.
The district school board shall take public testimony at the board meeting.
*S714-v-1* General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 (4) The school shall maintain records of each administration of corporal punishment and the reasons for its administration.
If such board meeting is not held in accordance with this subparagraph, the portion of the district school board’s policy authorizing corporal punishment expires.
(5) In no event shall excessive force be used in the administration of corporal punishment.
Section 2.
Excessive force includes force that results in injury to the child that requires medical attention beyond simple first aid.
Paragraph (k) of subsection (1) of section 1003.32, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
(6) Corporal punishment shall not be administered on a student whose parent or guardian has stated in writing that corporal punishment shall not be administered to that student.
1003.32 Authority of teacher;
Parents and guardians shall be given a form to make such an election at the beginning of the school year or when the student first enters the school during the year.
responsibility for control of students;
The form shall advise the parent or guardian that the student may be subject to suspension, among other possible punishments, for offenses that would otherwise not require suspension if corporal punishment were available.
district school board and principal duties.—Subject to law and to the rules of the district school board, each teacher or other member of the staff of any school shall have such authority for the control and discipline of students as may be assigned to him or her by the principal or the principal’s designated representative and shall keep good order in the classroom and in other places in which he or she is assigned to be in charge of students.
If the parent or guardian does not return the form, corporal punishment may be administered on the student.
(1) In accordance with this section and within the framework of the district school board’s code of student conduct, teachers and other instructional personnel shall have the authority to undertake any of the following actions in managing student behavior and ensuring the safety of all Page 2 of 5 CODING:
(c) Each governing body of a public school unit shall report annually to the State Board of Education, in a manner prescribed by the State Board of Education, on the number of times that corporal punishment was administered.
Words stricken are deletions;
The report shall be in compliance with the federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, 20 U.S.C.
words underlined are additions.
§ 1232g, and shall include the following:
Florida Senate - 2026 SB 662 24-00586-26 2026662__ students in their classes and school and their opportunity to learn in an orderly and disciplined classroom:
(1) The number of students who received corporal punishment.
(k) Use corporal punishment according to school board policy and at least the following procedures, if a teacher feels that corporal punishment is necessary:
(2) The number of students who received corporal punishment who were also students with disabilities and were eligible to receive special education and related services under the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, 20 U.S.C.
1.
§ 1400, et seq.
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The use of corporal punishment shall be approved in principle by the principal before it is used, but approval is not necessary for each specific instance in which it is used.
(3) The grade level of the students who received corporal punishment.
The principal shall prepare guidelines for administering such punishment which identify the types of punishable offenses, the conditions under which the punishment shall be administered, and the specific personnel on the school staff authorized to administer the punishment.
(4) The race, gender, and ethnicity of the students who received corporal punishment.
2.
(5) The reason for the administration of the corporal punishment for each student who received corporal punishment." SECTION 2.
A teacher or principal may administer corporal punishment only in the presence of another adult who is informed beforehand, and in the student’s presence, of the reason for the punishment.
G.S.
3.
115C-12(27) reads as rewritten:
A teacher or principal who has administered punishment shall, upon request, provide the student’s parent with a written explanation of the reason for the punishment and the name of the other adult who was present.
"(27) Reporting Dropout Rates, Corporal Punishment, Suspensions, Expulsions, and Alternative Placements.
Section 3.
– The State Board shall report by March 15 of each year to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee on the numbers of students who have dropped out of school, been subjected to corporal punishment, been suspended, been expelled, been reassigned for disciplinary purposes, or been provided alternative education services.
Paragraph (a) of subsection (1) and paragraph (b) of subsection (2) of section 1006.07, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
The data shall be reported in a disaggregated manner, reflecting the local school administrative unit, race, gender, grade level, ethnicity, and disability status of each affected student.
1006.07 District school board duties relating to student discipline and school safety.—The district school board shall provide for the proper accounting for all students, for the attendance and control of students at school, and for proper attention to health, safety, and other matters relating to the Page 3 of 5 CODING:
Such data shall be readilyavailable to the public.
Words stricken are deletions;
The State Board shall not include students that have been expelled from school when calculating the dropout rate.
words underlined are additions.
The Board shall maintain a separate record of the number of students who are expelled from school and the reasons for the expulsion." SECTION 3.
Florida Senate - 2026 SB 662 24-00586-26 2026662__ welfare of students, including:
G.S.
(1) CONTROL OF STUDENTS.— (a) Adopt rules for the control, discipline, in-school suspension, suspension, and expulsion of students and decide all cases recommended for expulsion.
115C-107.7 reads as rewritten:
Suspension hearings are exempted from the provisions of chapter 120.
"§ 115C-107.7.
Expulsion hearings shall be governed by ss.
Discipline, corporal punishment, Discipline and homebound instruction.
120.569 and 120.57(2) and are exempt from s.
(a) The policies and procedures for the discipline of students with disabilities shall be consistent with federal laws and regulations.
286.011.
(a1) Any corporal punishment administered on students with disabilities shall be consistent with the requirements of G.S.
However, the student’s parent must be given notice of the provisions of s.
115C-390.4.
286.011 and may elect to have the hearing held in compliance with that section.
…." SECTION 4.
The district school board may prohibit the use of corporal punishment, if the district school board adopts or has adopted a written program of alternative control or discipline.
G.S.
(2) CODE OF STUDENT CONDUCT.—Adopt a code of student conduct for elementary schools and a code of student conduct for middle and high schools and distribute the appropriate code to all teachers, school personnel, students, and parents, at the beginning of every school year.
115C-276(r) reads as rewritten:
Each code shall be organized and written in language that is understandable to students and parents and shall be discussed at the beginning of every school year in student classes, school advisory council meetings, and parent and teacher association or organization meetings.
Page 2 Senate Bill 714-First Edition General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 "(r) To Maintain Student Discipline.
Each code shall be based on the rules governing student conduct and discipline adopted by the district school board and shall be made available in the student handbook or similar publication.
– The superintendent shall maintain student discipline in accordance with Article 27 of this Chapter and shall keep data on each student to whom corporal punishment was administered, who was suspended for more than 10 days, who was reassigned for disciplinary reasons, or who was expelled.
Each code shall include, but is not limited to:
This data shall include the race, gender, age, grade level, ethnicity, and disability status of each student, the duration of suspension for each student, whether alternative education services were provided for each student, and whether a student had multiple suspensions in that academic year." SECTION 5.
(b) Procedures to be followed for acts requiring discipline, including corporal punishment.
G.S.
Section 4.
115C-390.2(h) reads as rewritten:
Subsection (5) of section 1012.28, Florida Page 4 of 5 CODING:
"(h) Governing body policies shall include the procedures to be followed by school officials in suspending, expelling, or administering corporal punishment to suspending or expelling any student, which shall be consistent with this Article." SECTION 6.
Words stricken are deletions;
G.S.
words underlined are additions.
6-21.4 is repealed.
Florida Senate - 2026 SB 662 24-00586-26 2026662__ Statutes, is amended to read:
SECTION 7.
1012.28 Public school personnel;
This act is effective when it becomes law and applies beginning with the 2025-2026 school year.
duties of school principals.— (5) Each school principal shall perform such duties as may be assigned by the district school superintendent, pursuant to the rules of the district school board.
Section 6 of this act does not apply to civil actions arising from the use of corporal punishment prior to the effective date of this act.
Such rules shall include, but are not limited to, rules relating to administrative responsibility, instructional leadership in implementing the state academic standards and the overall educational program of the school to which the school principal is assigned, submission of personnel recommendations to the district school superintendent, administrative responsibility for records and reports, administration of corporal punishment, and student suspension.
Senate Bill 714-First Edition Page 3
Section 5.
This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.
Page 5 of 5 CODING:
Words stricken are deletions;
words underlined are additions.