A bill introduced by Rep. Kimberly Dudik, a Missoula Democrat, in the Montana House Education Committee would define bullying, prohibit it in public schools and require public school districts to adopt their own policies addressing the issue.

Pilar Petroski, a seventh-grader from Helena, and her father, Andrew, spoke in favor of the bill, with the 12-year-old saying she's frustrated with school officials who turn the other way when she tells them about death threats she's received along with harassment in person and online.

"The school needs to know exactly what bullying is because clearly to them I'm just a student who's being teased," Pilar told the committee. "I just want other people to realize how big of a deal this is."

There was no testimony against the proposal, but skeptical lawmakers asked whether it was necessary since a recently adopted state regulation provides similar protections.

The measure would explicitly define bullying as any repeated harassment, hazing or threatening online or in person. It carries the force of law, meaning parents and local authorities could go after schools and education officials who don't comply, Dudik said.

If schools violate the state administrative rule approved in 2013, it would count only against their accreditation rating.

Forty-six of the 49 states that have established bullying laws did so by 2010. Hawaii, Michigan and South Dakota were the last to make changes, leaving Montana as the only state that hasn't addressed the issue with legislation.

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