Hukill's sponsored legislation on child restraint in schools moves closer to passage

Courtesy photo. State Rep. Dorothy Hukill sponsos a bill that that is more prorective of children in need of restraint in school.

TALLAHASSEE  - The Restraint and Seclusion bill sponsored by State Rep. Dorothy L. Hukill, R-Port Orange, passed the Pre K-12 Policy Committee of the Florida House of Representatives, by unanimous vote on Thursday.

This bill establishes standards and procedures for the use, monitoring and reduction of unnecessary restraint and seclusion on students with disabilities and is the first of its kind in the State of Florida.

The bill provides for reporting and accountability by requiring schools to prepare incident reports after manual restraint is used on students with disabilities and to report such incidents to the Department of Education.

Manual physical restraint and seclusion is authorized only under certain specific conditions and is prohibited if it restricts a student's breathing. By Jan. 31, 2011, school districts must develop policies and procedures for the appropriate use and prohibition of mechanical physical restraint and seclusion, personnel authorized to use mechanical physical restraint and seclusion and incident reporting procedures.

Parents are to be provided with a manual of such policies and procedures. "This bill is the right step in protecting our children,"  Hukill said. "I am so proud that my colleagues have taken a stand against these egregious practices."