Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to concur with House amendments and pass a bill that limits the use of seclusion as a behavioral health intervention for students.

Highlights:

• Defines “physical restraint” as “a personal restriction that immobilizes a student or reduces the ability of a student to move their torso, arms, legs, or head freely that occurs” (Page 1).

• Defines “trauma-informed intervention” as “an approach to behavior intervention that is informed by the recognition that the experience of trauma, including the experience of violence, abuse, neglect, disaster, terrorism, and war, may have a significant impact on an individual’s physical and emotional health and ability to function” (Page 3).

• Prohibits use of physical restraint as behavioral health intervention unless risk of harm to student or others (Page 3).

• Authorizes physicians, psychologists, and other licensed personnel to use seclusion as behavioral health intervention (Page 5).

• Requires records kept of physical restraint and seclusion incidents, with demographic information (Page 7).

• Establishes effective date of July 1, 2022 (Page 10).

Full Bill Text