House Bill 1318 Summary

• Establishes prohibitions on using seclusion, chemical restraint, mechanical restraint, and physical restraint for coercion, discipline, convenience, or retaliation.

• Prohibits specific dangerous restraint techniques including those obstructing airways, face-down positioning, and restraints on students with medical conditions that could be endangered.

• Allows physical restraint only in emergency situations by trained staff and requires continuous observation; allows seclusion only for students with individualized education programs that include seclusion and only when less restrictive interventions fail.

• Requires schools to obtain fire and safety authority inspection and approval of seclusion rooms, which must meet specific standards including minimum 40 square feet, proper ventilation, lighting, and continuous staff supervision.

• Mandates training in positive behavior intervention and support for staff authorized to use restraint or seclusion, requires parent notification when restraint or seclusion is used, and requires annual reporting to the state by school corporations detailing incidents by student race, gender, grade level, and disability status.