By Ruth Brown, Idaho Reports 

The Idaho House of Representatives on Monday killed an anti-bullying bill in a 32-38 vote after lengthy debate.  

Rep. Chris Mathias, D-Boise, sponsored the bill. It would have required school principals or their designee to notify parents and guardians of a student’s involvement in harassment, intimidation, bullying, violence, or self-harm, and to provide guardians with materials on parental empowerment and preventing self-harm and suicide.  

“For the sake of kids who are struggling, I would ask for your green light,” Mathias said. 

Should the bill have passed, it would not have taken effect until July 1, 2025, to allow time for school districts to put policies in place.  

Rep. Kenny Wroten, R-Nampa, supported the bill, saying some parents may not know their child is being bullied. 

Much of the debate on HB 539 revolved around whether principals or schools could be held liable should something happen to a child. 

Mathias said that was not the case.  

Rep. Illana Rubel, D-Boise, was involved in drafting the anti-bullying law that Monday’s bill would have amended. She explained that for a school to be held accountable for a student death, or sued under the Idaho Tort Claims Act, the principal would have to act with actual malice. 

Rep. John Vander Woude, R-Nampa, voted against the bill, arguing that it does not do anything that school districts can’t already do under state law.  

Pointing to hypocrisy, Mathias argued the House has already moved a piece of legislation off the floor this session, HB 415, which would allow school employees with an enhanced concealed carry license to carry firearms in schools, despite school districts already being able to allow that under existing law.  

With a failed vote in the House, the bill will not move forward to the Senate.  

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