SB 359 Indiana Senate · 2025 Regular Session

Student well-being and resiliency.

Summary

Requires the department of education (department), in consultation with the office of the secretary of family and social services, to approve and make available student mental well-being resources for certain schools. Requires the governing body of a school corporation or the equivalent authority for a charter school to publish and publicly post the approved student well-being resources. Establishes the resiliency program (program) to provide eligible schools the opportunity to participate in a program designed to help students build resiliency and grit so that students are ready to learn. Requires the department to develop guidelines to determine which eligible schools may participate in the program. Requires an eligible school selected by the department to participate in the program to follow certain requirements and procedures before a student may participate in the program. Requires the department to prepare a report concerning the program and submit the report to the legislative council.

Issues: ✓ Education

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2025

Committee Review

Jan 2025

Senate Passage

Feb 2025

House Passage

Governor

Introduced Jan 13, 2025 Last action Mar 3, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

Engrossed Senate Bill (H) → Senate Bill (S) · 6 edits

MODERATE

This bill was amended to strengthen the student resiliency program by adding specific mental health and well-being resources that schools must publish, including topics like youth suicide, human trafficking, and substance abuse. The changes also update the program's goals to focus on helping students manage thoughts and emotions for personal growth, and establish new reporting requirements for the department.

Scope change

The bill's scope expanded to include mandatory publication and posting of specific student well-being resources on school websites and social media, and added new definitions for 'school' to include both school corporation and charter schools.

REQUIREMENT

Updated the program's purpose to emphasize managing thoughts, emotions, and behaviors for positive personal change and growth rather than just preparing students to learn.

Added new Section 2 requiring schools to publish and post specific student well-being resources covering youth suicide, human trafficking, interpersonal violence, child abuse, and substance abuse on websites, social media, and in hard copy.

Changed the coaching program from a 'virtual or in-person coaching program' to an 'independent model that uses technology and one-on-one coaching to provide personalized engagement'.

Added new reporting requirements for the department to submit annual reports on student and teacher participation, resiliency trends, and demographic data to the legislative council.

Removed the requirement for schools to provide a written request for student participation before the student may participate in the program.

TIMELINE

Added a December 1, 2026 deadline for the first annual report, and an August 1, 2025 deadline for the department to approve and make available student well-being resources.

Floor votes · Senate Feb 13, 2025

How they voted

42–4

Passed · 4 other

Total votes 50

Feb 13, 2025

D Democratic10

10 Yea

100% Yea

R Republican40

32 Yea 4 Nay 4

80% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

Feb 13, 2025

Upper · Passed

Third reading: passed; Roll Call 125: yeas 42, nays 4

upper

Feb 11, 2025

Upper · Passed

Amendment #1 (Alexander) prevailed; voice vote

upper

Jan 30, 2025

Upper · Passed

Committee report: do pass, adopted

upper

4 primary · 3 co-sponsors