Michigan House Bill HB5480

Michigan 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/27/26
• Refer: 1/27/26

Caption

Education: other; transfer of enrollment due to certain bullying issues; provide for. Amends sec. 1401 of 1976 PA 451 (MCL 380.1401) & adds sec. 1310f.

Summary

House Bill 5480 would amend Michigan’s Revised School Code to create a mandatory transfer option for students who are being bullied in their resident school district. If a parent or legal guardian requests a transfer and provides evidence that the student is experiencing bullying, that the bullying was reported to school staff, and that the home district’s intervention failed, the receiving district would be required to accept the student. The bill also bars districts from denying the transfer because the student has been habitually truant in the current district. The bill further requires the student’s current district to send academic records to the receiving district within seven days after notice of the transfer. It also states that a district, public school governing body, or person responsible for facilitating the transfer may be liable in a damages action for failing to comply. The new section would be known as the “Natalia Moore Law,” and it uses the existing statutory definition of bullying in section 1310b.

Impact

HB 5480 would add a new section 1310f to the Revised School Code and modify section 1401 to exempt students transferring under the new bullying-transfer provision from nonresident tuition charges. In practice, the bill would create a state-mandated enrollment pathway for bullied students to move to another district, limit district discretion to refuse such transfers, and impose a records-sharing deadline on the sending district. It would affect school districts, public school governing bodies, parents or guardians seeking transfers, and potentially expose districts and responsible officials to civil liability for noncompliance.

Sentiment

No committee transcripts or recorded votes were provided, so there is no direct evidence of legislative debate or formal support/opposition in the available materials. Based on the bill text and caption, the measure appears intended as a student-protection response to bullying and school safety concerns, suggesting a generally sympathetic policy rationale for families seeking relief from unresolved bullying. The absence of recorded votes or hearing testimony means the overall sentiment cannot be assessed beyond the bill’s protective framing.

Contention

The main points of contention likely concern the mandatory nature of the transfer requirement, the evidentiary standard for proving bullying, and the potential for civil liability if districts fail to comply. School districts may object to losing discretion over enrollment decisions, especially where space, discipline history, or attendance issues are involved, since the bill expressly prohibits denial based on habitual truancy. Another likely issue is administrative burden, including verifying bullying claims, coordinating transfers, and transmitting records within seven days. Supporters would likely emphasize student safety and access to a less hostile learning environment, while critics may focus on local control, implementation costs, and litigation exposure.