A 5403 New York Assembly · 2025 Regular Session

Enacts the "Jack Reid Law: Protect All Students Act"

Summary

Prohibits discrimination against and harassment or bullying of students by other students on school property or at a school function; requires schools to investigate reports of bullying; requires schools to adopt a written, plain-language anti-bullying and harassment policy; requires school employees to report incidents of bullying or harassment.

Issues: ✓ Education

Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2025

Committee Review

Floor Vote

Governor

Introduced Feb 13, 2025 Last action Jun 17, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

A5403 → A5403A · 5 edits

MODERATE

The bill was amended to add more sponsors and committee assignments, update the article title formatting, reorganize section numbering, and add a new section on constitutional rights protections. The changes clarify that the anti-bullying provisions do not infringe on First Amendment rights or religious freedoms.

Scope change

The bill's scope remains focused on nonpublic schools, but new language was added to explicitly protect free expression and religious exercise rights.

ELIGIBILITY

Added multiple new sponsors to the bill including HEVESI, SIMON, SEAWRIGHT, REYES, LASHER, DAVILA, TAYLOR, SAYEGH, BICHOTTE HERMELYN, SEPTIMO, CLARK, GIBBS, BORES, PHEFFER AMATO, TORRES, McDONALD, PAULIN, BRONSON, KIM, DeSTEFANO, and GLICK

REQUIREMENT

Changed section title from 'Bullying and harassment prohibited' to 'Bullying and harassment prevention and response' to better reflect the content

Added new section 22 stating that the anti-bullying provisions do not infringe upon free expression or religious exercise rights protected under the First Amendment and New York State Constitution

TECHNICAL

Reorganized section numbering and formatting, moving definitions to section 20 and renumbering subsequent sections

Changed bill reference from 'A 5403' to 'A 5403--A' to indicate amended version

Floor votes

How they voted

No floor votes recorded yet.

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

Jun 11, 2025

Committee

REPORTED REFERRED TO RULES

lower

Jun 6, 2025

Lower · Passed

PRINT NUMBER 5403A

lower

Jun 6, 2025

Lower · Passed

AMEND AND RECOMMIT TO WAYS AND MEANS

lower

May 20, 2025

Committee

REPORTED REFERRED TO WAYS AND MEANS

lower

Feb 13, 2025

Committee

REFERRED TO EDUCATION

lower

1 primary · 23 co-sponsors