Illinois

Bill Status of 2426 - The bill is in the Governor’s hands waiting to be signed…

Synopsis As Introduced
Amends the Harassing and Obscene Communications Act. Creates the Cyberbullying Law. Provides that the offense of harassment through electronic communications also includes the use of electronic communication for making a harassing statement for the purpose of alarming, tormenting, or terrorizing a specific person on at least 2 separate occasions; or creating and maintaining an Internet website or webpage, which is accessible to one or more third parties for a period of at least 24 hours, and which contains harassing statements made for the purpose of alarming, tormenting, or terrorizing a specific person. Establishes penalties. Effective immediately.

As posted by http://davidormsby.wordpress.com/2008/03/:

… Zap teen “cyberbullying” via the Internet, text messages, and e-mail. The legislation targets iHarassment, iTormenting or iTerrorizing a specific person at least twice, including posting Web site smackdowns.

The cyberbullies would be yanked from their gizzmos for up to one year in the slammer for a first offense. Yikes. Repeat iPests would be staring at 1-3 years in the pokey. Double Yikes.

Hmm… Where do educators in Illinois stand on this bill? What should the punishments of this kind of behavior be? Speak up…