DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A bill designed to crack down on cyberbullying failed to advance in the Legislature this year, but Gov. Terry Branstad says he plans to keep working to toughen Iowa’s anti-bullying laws. Branstad promised Thursday that he would hold another state summit on bullying, as he did last fall, and will work to get a bill passed next year. Branstad says he “wants kids to feel safe.”
The bullying bill offered by Branstad this year would have updated state guidelines for school districts to include bullying that occurs outside school on social media websites like Facebook. It received subcommittee approval in the state House, but never moved forward.
Matt Carver, of the group School Administrators of Iowa, says he thinks the Legislature will approve the bill once lawmakers have more information.