Suffolk Legislature to Discuss Bullying Legislation

The Suffolk County Legislature is in the process of examining two bills that take aim at bullying. One of the bills holds schools accountable for investigating incidents in which a student claim to have been bullied and the other makes "cyberbullying" a crime.

One of the bills, co-sponsored by Legislator Tom Barraga of West Islip, is requiring schools take action if a student claims to have been bullied. The proposed bill, which has not yet been passed by the legislature, defines bullying as "any physical, verbal or psychological attacks or intimidation directed against a student who cannot properly defend himself or herself, including but not limited to assaulting; tripping; shoving; threatening; intimidating; spreading rumors about another; isolating another; humiliating; demands for money; blackmailing; destruction of another's property; theft of another's valued possessions; destruction of another's work; and name-calling."

The proposed law would require schools maintain records documenting each complaint received by the school that alleges that a specific student or group of students has engaged in bullying behavior against another. The proposed law also requires that when a school receives two or more allegations that a specific student or group of students has engaged in bullying behavior against another student, the school's administration must investigate such allegations to determine their veracity. If, upon investigation of such allegations, a school determines that a specific student or group of students has engaged in bullying behavior, the school's administration must discipline the student or students and maintain a record of the discipline, the proposed law states.  

"They have to look into it and that have to write up the [incidents] accordingly," said Barraga.

The proposed law imposes a $1,000 fine to the principal of any schools that fails to comply. 

The Suffolk County Legislature is also considering a proposed law aimed at making cyberbullying a crime. The proposed law define cyberbullying as "repeatedly committing acts of abusive behavior over a period of time, with the intent to coerce, intimidate, harass or cause substantial emotional distress to a person, and which serve no legitimate purpose, by communicating or causing a communication to be sent by mechanical or electronic means, posting statements on the internet or through a computer network. Acts of abusive behavior shall include, but not be limited to, taunting; threatening; intimidating; insulting; tormenting; humiliating; disseminating embarrassing or sexually explicit photographs, either actual or modified, of a minor; disseminating the private, personal or sexual information, either factual or false, of a minor; or sending hate mail."

The proposed law applies to victims under the age of 19 Under the proposed law, the crime of "cyberbullying" would be an unclassified misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $1,000 and/or up to one year's imprisonment. 

The legislature is also considering a similar law that would make the cyber-stalking of an adult a crime. 

"As elected officials, we're subject to these people going on the Internet, under surnames, and saying the most terrible things about us. I take that in stride because that's the business I'm in," Barraga said. "But when they are saying terrible things about a child, the psychological effects on that child is immeasurable, but these people couldn't care less and something has to be done to stop it."

The hearings 0n these proposed laws are expected to continue at the June 8 meeting of the Suffolk County Legislature, which will take place in the W.H. Rogers Legislature Building, located at 725 Veterans Highway in Hauppauge.