Bullying Laws Across America

Please click on any state to learn exactly what their bullying laws include.

Criminal Sanction?

All states have various criminal laws that might apply to bullying behaviors, depending on the nature of the act. For
example, if someone is physically hurting another, assault statutes might apply. All states also have criminal
harassment and/or stalking statutes, and most include explicit reference to electronic forms. States with a “YES” in
this column are the ones that expressly include electronic forms of harassment.

School Sanction?

In certain states, the bullying law specifies provisions allowing the school to discipline students in appropriate
and measured ways.

School Policy?

In every state except Montana, the bullying law mandates schools to have a formal policy to help with identification
of the behavior and discuss the possible formal and/or informal disciplinary responses that can follow. Some laws
require certain elements to be included in the policy (such as a specific definition of bullying), while others
simply require a policy without specification.

Off-campus?

Federal case law allows schools to discipline students for off-campus behavior that results in a substantial
disruption of the learning environment at school. States with a “YES” in this column have simply codified that
standard in state statute.

List of States, in case you don’t want to use the map above…

State	Includes Cyberbullying or Online Harassment	Criminal Sanction for Cyberbullying or Electronic Harassment	School Sanction for Cyberbullying	School Policy	Specifically includes Off-Campus
Alabama	YES	YES	YES	YES	YES
Alaska	NO	YES	YES	YES	NO
Arizona	YES	YES	YES	YES	NO
Arkansas	YES	YES	YES	YES	YES
California	YES	YES	YES	YES	YES
Colorado	YES	YES	YES	YES	YES
Connecticut	YES	YES	YES	YES	YES
Delaware	YES	YES	YES	YES	YES
Florida	YES	YES	YES	YES	YES
Georgia	YES	YES	YES	YES	YES
Hawaii	YES	YES	YES	YES	YES
Idaho	YES	YES	YES	YES	NO
Illinois	YES	YES	YES	YES	YES
Indiana	YES	YES	YES	YES	YES
Iowa	YES	YES	YES	YES	NO
Kansas	YES	YES	YES	YES	NO
Kentucky	YES	YES	YES	YES	YES
Louisiana	YES	YES	YES	YES	YES
Maine	YES	NO	YES	YES	YES
Maryland	YES	YES	YES	YES	YES
Massachusetts	YES	YES	YES	YES	YES
Michigan	YES	YES	NO	YES	YES
Minnesota	YES	NO	YES	YES	YES
Mississippi	YES	YES	YES	YES	NO
Missouri	YES	YES	YES	YES	NO
Montana	YES	YES	NO	YES	NO
Nebraska	YES	NO	YES	YES	NO
Nevada	YES	YES	NO	YES	NO
New Hampshire	YES	NO	NO	YES	YES
New Jersey	YES	YES	YES	YES	YES
New Mexico	YES	NO	YES	YES	NO
New York	YES	YES	YES	YES	YES
North Carolina	YES	YES	YES	YES	NO
North Dakota	YES	YES	YES	YES	YES
Ohio	YES	YES	YES	YES	NO
Oklahoma	YES	YES	YES	YES	NO
Oregon	YES	YES	YES	YES	NO
Pennsylvania	YES	YES	YES	YES	YES
Rhode Island	YES	YES	YES	YES	NO
South Carolina	YES	YES	YES	YES	NO
South Dakota	YES	YES	YES	YES	YES
Tennessee	YES	YES	YES	YES	YES
Texas	YES	YES	YES	YES	YES
Utah	YES	YES	YES	YES	YES
Vermont	YES	YES	YES	YES	YES
Virginia	YES	YES	YES	YES	NO
Washington	YES	YES	YES	YES	NO
West Virginia	YES	YES	YES	YES	NO
Wisconsin	NO	YES	YES	YES	NO
Wyoming	YES	NO	YES	YES	NO
FEDERAL	proposed	NO	NO	NO	NO
Washington DC	YES	NO	YES	YES	YES
STATE TOTALS	48	45	46	49	28

Suggested citation: Patchin, J. W. & Hinduja, S. (2023). Bullying Laws Across America. Cyberbullying Research Center. https://cyberbullying.org/bullying-laws