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SB 1478

WITHDRAWN

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Joe Nicola

SB 1478 bans corporal punishment in public schools and tightens use of restraint/seclusion to imminent danger, with trained staff, monitoring, and quick parent notification.

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Bill Summary · SB 1478

Summary — SB 1478 (Arizona, Introduced Version — Feb 20, 2025)

Purpose / Intent

SB 1478 seeks to prohibit corporal punishment in Arizona public schools and charter schools and to revise state law governing the use, limits and reporting of restraint and seclusion of students. The stated aim is to clarify what physical interventions are permitted for safety and to eliminate use of physical discipline as punishment.

Key provisions

  • Amends A.R.S. § 15-105 (restraint and seclusion):

    • Restricts use of restraint or seclusion to situations where a student’s behavior presents an imminent danger of bodily harm and less-restrictive interventions are insufficient.
    • Requires continuous visual monitoring while restraint/seclusion is used; the intervention must end once imminent danger has passed.
    • Limits: restraint must not impede breathing or be disproportionate to the student’s age/physical condition.
    • Personnel requirements: only trained staff may use restraint/seclusion unless an emergency precludes summoning trained staff.
    • Reporting/documentation: same-day (or within 24 hours) notice to parent/guardian; subsequent written documentation “within a reasonable time” describing triggers/precursors, type of intervention and duration.
    • Required review when restraint/seclusion is used repeatedly for a student during a school year, including consideration of a functional behavioral assessment.
    • If law enforcement is summoned instead of using restraint/seclusion, the school must still follow the reporting and review requirements. School resource officers remain authorized to respond per their law enforcement protocols.

  • Adds A.R.S. § 15-120.05 — Corporal punishment; prohibition:

    • Explicitly prohibits a teacher, principal, or other school employee from subjecting a student to corporal punishment.
    • Clarifies that this prohibition does not prevent the use of restraint/seclusion that complies with § 15-105.
    • Defines “corporal punishment” as inflicting physical pain on a student as discipline; expressly excludes incidental, minor or reasonable physical contact intended to maintain order, control or safety.

  • Amends A.R.S. § 15-843 (student disciplinary proceedings):

    • Removes the prior provision requiring school district rules to include procedures for using corporal punishment (text in the bill replaces that subsection; full amended language is partially truncated in the introduced version).

Who/what is affected

  • Students in school districts, charter schools and public special education settings covered by A.R.S. § 15-105.
  • Teachers, principals and other school employees — the bill prohibits using corporal punishment and constrains physical interventions to safety-specific, narrowly defined circumstances.
  • School districts and charter schools — required to adopt/adjust policies, training, documentation and review processes related to restraint/seclusion and discipline.
  • Parents/guardians — entitled to same-day (or 24-hour) notification and subsequent written documentation when restraint/seclusion is used.

Procedural status and timeline

  • Introduced: February 20, 2025 (sponsored by Sen. Lela Alston; cosponsors Sen. Kuby, Sen. Burch, Sen. Epstein).
  • Technical actions: Amends A.R.S. §§ 15-105 and 15-843 and adds § 15-120.05.
  • Status (as provided): Referred to Assignments (introduced version). This summary is based on the introduced text; subsequent committee amendments or floor changes could alter provisions.

Practical impact considerations

  • Administrative: districts and charter schools would need to update discipline policies, reporting systems, and staff training on safe restraint/seclusion alternatives and documentation procedures.
  • Student safety: the bill narrows circumstances permitting physical interventions and eliminates corporal punishment as a disciplinary tool.
  • Enforcement: the introduced text establishes prohibitions and reporting requirements but does not specify criminal penalties for corporal punishment; compliance and enforcement would occur through school/district policy, administrative processes and potential civil remedies.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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