S. 986: Safe Schools Improvement Act
A Senate bill (S.) in the 119th U.S. Congress.
Overview
| Congress | 119th U.S. Congress (2025–2026) |
|---|---|
| Type | Senate bill (S.) |
| Originating chamber | Senate |
| Introduced | 2025-03-12 |
| Sponsor | Sen. Kaine, Tim [D-VA] |
| Policy area | Education |
| Cosponsors | 20 |
| Latest action | 2025-03-12 — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. |
| Last updated | 2026-04-08 |
Summary
Official summary (Introduced in Senate, 2025-03-12):
Safe Schools Improvement Act
This bill requires states to direct their local educational agencies (LEAs) to establish policies that prevent and prohibit bullying and harassment of elementary and secondary school students. In particular, these policies must prohibit bullying and harassment based on race, color, national origin, disability, religion, or sex. Sex includes sexual orientation, gender identity, and sex characteristics (including intersex traits).
Further, LEAs must provide (1) students, parents, and educational professionals with annual notice of the conduct prohibited in their disciplinary policies; (2) students and parents with grievance procedures that target such conduct; and (3) the public with annual data on the incidence and frequency of that conduct at the school and LEA level.
The Department of Education must conduct and report on an independent biennial evaluation of programs and policies to combat bullying and harassment in elementary and secondary schools. The National Center for Education Statistics must collect state data to determine the incidence and frequency of the conduct prohibited by LEA disciplinary policies.
Cosponsors (20)
| Name | Party / state |
|---|---|
| Tammy Baldwin | D WI (original cosponsor) 2025-03-12 |
| Michael F. Bennet | D CO (original cosponsor) 2025-03-12 |
| Richard Blumenthal | D CT (original cosponsor) 2025-03-12 |
| Cory A. Booker | D NJ (original cosponsor) 2025-03-12 |
| Christopher A. Coons | D DE (original cosponsor) 2025-03-12 |
| Catherine Cortez Masto | D NV (original cosponsor) 2025-03-12 |
| Tammy Duckworth | D IL (original cosponsor) 2025-03-12 |
| Richard J. Durbin | D IL (original cosponsor) 2025-03-12 |
| John Fetterman | D PA (original cosponsor) 2025-03-12 |
| John W. Hickenlooper | D CO (original cosponsor) 2025-03-12 |
| Mazie K. Hirono | D HI (original cosponsor) 2025-03-12 |
| Amy Klobuchar | D MN (original cosponsor) 2025-03-12 |
| Edward J. Markey | D MA (original cosponsor) 2025-03-12 |
| Jeff Merkley | D OR (original cosponsor) 2025-03-12 |
| Patty Murray | D WA (original cosponsor) 2025-03-12 |
| Alex Padilla | D CA (original cosponsor) 2025-03-12 |
| Gary C. Peters | D MI (original cosponsor) 2025-03-12 |
| Jacky Rosen | D NV (original cosponsor) 2025-03-12 |
| Bernard Sanders | I VT (original cosponsor) 2025-03-12 |
| Jeanne Shaheen | D NH (original cosponsor) 2025-03-12 |
Full text & official record
The official bill text, section-by-section summary, amendments, committee reports, and the complete legislative timeline for S. 986 are published by Congress on congress.gov.
Frequently asked questions
What is S. 986?
S. 986 is a Senate bill (S.) introduced in the 119th U.S. Congress, originating in the Senate. Official title: Safe Schools Improvement Act.
Where can I read the full bill text?
The full text, cosponsors, amendments, and legislative status for S. 986 are available on congress.gov.
Bill data: congress.gov API (official congressional records).