AR SB622

Establishes an affirmative defense in juvenile delinquency cases when a juvenile was intentionally harassed, intimidated, humiliated, ridiculed, defamed, threatened, or provoked to violence by another student or school employee based on an attribute of the juvenile or someone they associate with.

Defense applies if the bullying conduct caused or created actual or reasonably foreseeable physical harm, property damage, substantial interference with education, a hostile educational environment, or substantial disruption of school operations.

If the juvenile successfully establishes the affirmative defense, the court may dismiss the petition entirely.

If a dangerous weapon such as a gun, knife, brass knuckles, razor, or sword was used, the court may consider the bullying defense as a mitigating factor rather than dismissing the case.

Amends Arkansas Code Title 9, Chapter 27, Subchapter 3 to add new section 9-27-368 establishing these provisions.