Federal RuleAug 21
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DOL Rewrites Disability Rules for 'Merit-Based Opportunity' Push
RuleLabor DepartmentFederal Contract Compliance Programs OfficeSignificant Wallet
S3448119th CongressWALLET
Keeping All Students Safe Act
Sponsored By: Senator Murphy, Christopher [D-CT]
Introduced
Summary
Limits on seclusion and physical restraints. This bill would ban specific types of seclusion and physical restraint in schools and Head Start programs that get federal funds, and would set strict conditions, training, notice, and reporting requirements to reduce harm.
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- Students and families: Students would gain new protections against seclusion and enumerated restraints. Parents must get same-day verbal notice, a written report within 24 hours, and a meeting within 5 school days, and parents or students may bring civil suits for relief.
- School staff: Physical restraint could be used only when a student poses an imminent danger and less restrictive measures fail. Restraint must end when the danger stops, be applied by state-certified personnel when possible, and may not be written into an individual IEP.
- States and federal support: States would submit plans within 2 years and report annual, disaggregated restraint data. The bill would fund 3-year grants to build training, data systems, and positive behavioral supports and would require a national assessment with interim and final reports at 3 and 5 years respectively.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
6 provisions identified: 6 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
State plans, training, and oversight
If enacted, each State education agency would have to submit a plan within 2 years and annually after that showing how the State will follow the ban and monitor schools. States would approve crisis intervention training programs and require periodic certification so enough staff are trained. Plans must be posted for at least 60 days for public comment and include written responses. States would monitor restraint use, visit special education schools each year, and provide technical help like PBIS.
Enforcement, complaints, and private lawsuits
If enacted, a student or parent could sue a program that subjected a student to unlawful seclusion or restraint for money, court orders, and legal and expert fees. Individual school staff would generally be shielded from personal liability; programs (not staff) would be defendants and could not use Eleventh Amendment immunity. The Education Department would handle complaints and could withhold federal payments for violations; HHS would have parallel authority for Head Start.
New restraint bans and rules
If enacted, the bill would ban unlawful seclusion and many types of physical restraint in any program that gets federal money. Physical restraint would be allowed only when a student's behavior posed an imminent danger of serious physical injury, less restrictive steps would not work, trained staff used the least force, and the hold stopped when the danger ended. The bill would define chemical, mechanical, seclusion, physical restraint, and time out. It would also bar planning to use restraint in any student's IEP, safety plan, or behavior plan.
Grants for state and local schools
If enacted, the Education Department would award 3‑year grants to State education agencies from amounts appropriated under the Act to pay for PBIS, mental‑health supports, restorative justice, trauma‑informed care, data systems, and crisis training. SEAs could award subgrants to local districts and must offer equitable participation to private school staff after timely consultation. The bill would authorize such sums as may be necessary starting in fiscal year 2026, but it does not set a dollar amount.
National study of restraint practices
If enacted, the Education Department would conduct a national assessment of restraint and seclusion in schools and Head Start and identify effective programs and training models, including PBIS and de‑escalation. The Department would send an interim report to Congress within 3 years and a final report within 5 years.
Parent notice and incident meetings
If enacted, programs would have to tell a parent the same day if a student was physically restrained, and send a written notice within 24 hours with details. Programs would hold a meeting within 5 school days with the parent, the student (when appropriate), staff involved, the teacher, a program leader, and a behavior expert. Programs would collect written witness statements from uninvolved adults. If a student is seriously injured or dies linked to seclusion or restraint, the local agency would notify the State or HHS, local police, and the protection and advocacy system in writing within 24 hours.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Murphy, Christopher [D-CT]
CT • D
Cosponsors
Sen. Sanders, Bernard [I-VT]
VT • I
Sponsored 12/11/2025
Sen. Murray, Patty [D-WA]
WA • D
Sponsored 12/11/2025
Sen. Blumenthal, Richard [D-CT]
CT • D
Sponsored 12/11/2025
Sen. Booker, Cory A. [D-NJ]
NJ • D
Sponsored 12/11/2025
Sen. Duckworth, Tammy [D-IL]
IL • D
Sponsored 12/11/2025
Sen. Durbin, Richard J. [D-IL]
IL • D
Sponsored 12/11/2025
Sen. Fetterman, John [D-PA]
PA • D
Sponsored 12/11/2025
Sen. Kaine, Tim [D-VA]
VA • D
Sponsored 12/11/2025
Sen. Luján, Ben Ray [D-NM]
NM • D
Sponsored 12/11/2025
Sen. Markey, Edward J. [D-MA]
MA • D
Sponsored 12/11/2025
Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR]
OR • D
Sponsored 12/11/2025
Sen. Padilla, Alex [D-CA]
CA • D
Sponsored 12/11/2025
Sen. Van Hollen, Chris [D-MD]
MD • D
Sponsored 12/11/2025
Sen. Warren, Elizabeth [D-MA]
MA • D
Sponsored 12/11/2025
Sen. Wyden, Ron [D-OR]
OR • D
Sponsored 12/11/2025
Sen. Baldwin, Tammy [D-WI]
WI • D
Sponsored 1/28/2026
Sen. Kim, Andy [D-NJ]
NJ • D
Sponsored 4/15/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov