S 2955

SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2955
  The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
  _______________
  In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
  (2025-2026)
  _______________
  SENATE, February 9, 2026.
   The committee on Education, to whom was referred the petitions (accompanied by bill,
Senate, No. 359) of Paul R. Feeney for legislation to promote a healthy culture and climate
within schools; (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 368) of Adam Gomez, Michael J. Barrett,
Joanne M. Comerford, Jason M. Lewis and other members of the Senate for legislation to
reduce exclusionary discipline for grooming and dress code violations; (accompanied by bill,
Senate, No. 376) of Patricia D. Jehlen for legislation to promote the education success of court
involved children; (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 380) of Patricia D. Jehlen and James B.
Eldridge for legislation to establish statewide targets for addressing persistent disparities in
achievement and suspension and expulsion in public schools; and (accompanied by bill, Senate,
No. 387) of Robyn K. Kennedy for legislation relative to safer schools, report the accompanying
bill (Senate, No. 2955).
  For the committee,
  Jason M. Lewis
  FILED ON: 2/9/2026
  SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2955
  The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
  _______________
  In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
  (2025-2026)
  _______________
An Act to reduce exclusionary discipline for grooming and dress code violations.
  Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
of the same, as follows:
1SECTION 1. Section 37H of Chapter 71 as appearing in the 2022 Official Edition is
2 hereby amended by inserting after subsection (g) the following:-
3(h) Any rules related to student dress or grooming included in a school district or charter
4 school’s code of student conduct or otherwise adopted by the school district or charter school
5 shall (1) make no distinction, discrimination, or restriction on account of sex or gender identity
6 (2) not treat students differently or have a disparate impact on any student based on that student’s
7 race, national origin, religion, disability, age, sexual orientation, or gender identity (3) be clear,
8 specific, and objective in defining terms, if used; (4) prohibit any school district or charter school
9 employee from enforcing any rules related to student grooming and dress by direct physical
10 contact with a student or a student's attire; and (5) prohibit any school district or charter school
11 employee from requiring a student to undress in front of any other individual, including the
12 enforcing school district or charter school employee, to comply with the rules related to dress or
13 grooming. Nothing in this section shall limit the rights students are already permitted under
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14 Chapter 71, Section 82 of 21 Massachusetts General Laws or any other state or federal laws
15 relating to a student’s right to freedom of expression.
16SECTION 2. Section 37H ¾ of Chapter 71 as appearing in the 2022 Official Edition is
17 hereby amended by inserting as the last sentence of subsection (a) the following -: In addition to
18 any rights students may have, in no cases may a school district or charter school suspend or expel
19 a student solely on the basis of an alleged violation of rules related to student dress and
20 grooming, provided however that a school district or charter school may require students to wear
21 clothing of a specific color, and provided further that nothing herein shall limit school districts or
22 charter school from taking action to prevent bullying of any student as defined in M.G.L Chapter
23 70, section 370 or harassment of any student on account of race, color, sex, gender identity,
24 religion, national origin, or sexual orientation.
25SECTION 3. The changes detailed in Sections 1 and 2 shall take effect 60 days after
26 passage of this act.
27SECTION 4. The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education shall adopt,
28 promulgate, amend and rescind rules and regulations or formulate policies and recommendations
29 as necessary, including training, to effectuate the purpose of Sections 1 and 2.
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