Iowa Lawmakers Take Up Anti-Bullying Bill

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By Rachel Begle

Story Created: Mar 5, 2013 at 7:17 AM CDT

Story Updated: Mar 5, 2013 at 11:35 AM CDT

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Lawmakers in the state House are moving forward with anti-bullying legislation backed by Gov. Terry Branstad.

A House education subcommittee approved the bill Tuesday. The legislation would strive to deal with so-called cyber-bullying by updating state guidelines for school districts to include bullying that occurs outside school on social media sites such as Facebook.

The legislation is expected to get a committee hearing later this week.

Branstad convened a bullying prevention summit in Des Moines in November.

Last April, a 14-year-old boy from Primghar committed suicide following bullying at school and online after he told people he was gay. In June, a Mason City girl and her mother sued the Mason City school district, saying it did nothing to protect the teen from bullying.