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H.R. 863 108th Congress House

Classroom Safety Act of 2003

Official title: To amend the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act to provide increased authority for school personnel to discipline children with disabilities who engage in certain dangerous behavior.

Introduced: February 13, 2003 See on congress.gov
Education Crime and Law EnforcementDisabledDrug abuseDrug traffic
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Drugs and youthEconomics and Public FinanceElementary and secondary educationElementary educationFamiliesFederal aid to educationFederal-local relationsFederal-state relationsFirearmsFirearms controlGovernment Operations and PoliticsJuvenile delinquencyPublic schoolsSchool disciplineSchool districtsSecondary educationSpecial educationState lawsYouth violence
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This bill died when the 108th Congress ended
It never became law before the 108th Congress (2003–2004) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 3 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Mar 10, 2003
Referred to the Subcommittee on Education Reform.
Feb 13, 2003
Referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.
Feb 13, 2003
Introduced in House
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 Latest action March 10, 2003

Referred to the Subcommittee on Education Reform.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service
Classroom Safety Act of 2003 - Amends the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) to authorize school personnel to discipline (including expel or suspend), in the same manner in which such personnel may discipline a child without a disability, any child with a disability who commits specified school-related weapon or drug offenses. (Thus provides an exception to current IDEA procedural safeguards that require placement in an alternative educational setting.)

Authorizes such personnel to modify the disciplinary action on a case-by-case basis. Permits assertion of a defense that the offense was committed unintentionally or innocently.

Allows the local educational agency (LEA) responsible for providing educational services to a child with a disability who is expelled or suspended under this Act to choose to continue to provide educational services to such child; but specifies that an LEA that so chooses to continue to provide services: (1) is not required by IDEA to provide such child with a free appropriate public education, or any particular level of service; and (2) has discretion as to the location where it provides the services.

 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 2
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APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 863: Classroom Safety Act of 2003. 108th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/108-HR-863/
MLA
"H.R. 863: Classroom Safety Act of 2003." 108th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/108-HR-863/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 863, 108th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/108-HR-863/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 863: Classroom Safety Act of 2003](https://openamerica.io/bill/108-HR-863/)
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