A plain-English guide to Maine’s bullying and cyberbullying law, written for school counselors and other school staff. Start with the summary, then open any section below for the legal details.
Bottom line for counselors: Maine requires every school district to have a written bullying policy. The law covers cyberbullying, including off-campus behavior that affects school. Follow your district's reporting and investigation steps and keep careful notes.
Maine's bullying law includes 12 of 14 key elements, which Lantern rates strong. Cyberbullying can also be a crime under Maine law. State law lets schools discipline students for cyberbullying. School phones: statewide ban (LD 2212, April 10, 2026).
Sources last checked: StopBullying.gov summary reviewed April 29, 2026 · school phone rules checked November 11, 2026.
Lantern · State profile
Strong state protections · 12 of 14 key elements
- Covers cyberbullying Yes
- Reaches off-campus behavior Yes
- District policy required Yes
- Reporting & investigation rules Yes
- Staff training Yes
- Support for students involved Yes
- School phone rules Statewide phone restriction
- Online safety laws for minors None listed
What this means for counselors
- Your district is required to have a written bullying policy. Find it, and learn who in your building receives reports.
- State law sets expectations for reporting and investigating bullying. Follow your district's steps and timelines, and keep careful notes.
- Cyberbullying that happens off campus can be addressed when it affects school. Record how the online behavior reached or disrupted school.
- The law calls for support for students who are involved. That is core counseling work, for the student targeted and for the student who bullied.
- Staff training is part of state law. Ask when training happens and make sure it covers cyberbullying and social media.
- The law names protected groups. Bullying based on these characteristics may also be a civil rights issue for your school.
- Your state limits student phone use at school. Know your school's phone rules so responses to online incidents are consistent.
What Maine’s bullying law includes
- Bans bullying outright: included
The law clearly states that bullying is not allowed. - Defines bullying: included
The law spells out what counts as bullying. - Says where the rules apply: included
The law describes where the rules apply, such as school grounds, buses, events, or online. - Names protected groups: included
The law lists characteristics, such as race or disability, that bullying often targets. - Districts must have a policy: included
Every school district has to adopt a written bullying policy. - Reporting and investigation rules: included
The law sets out how bullying is reported and investigated. - Consequences for bullying: included
The law describes consequences for students who bully. - Policy shared with families: included
Districts have to tell students, staff, and families about the policy. - Support for students involved: included
The law calls for protection or support, such as counseling, for students who are involved. - Policies reviewed and updated: not included
District policies have to be reviewed and kept up to date. - Prevention education: not included
The law requires or encourages bullying prevention lessons or programs. - Staff training: included
The law requires or encourages training for teachers and other staff. - Parent involvement: included
The law involves parents in preventing or responding to bullying.
Questions and answers about the law
How are bullying and cyberbullying defined in Maine anti-bullying laws and regulations?
Maine anti-bullying laws include the following definitions of bullying and cyberbullying:
“Bullying” includes, but is not limited to, a written, oral or electronic expression or a physical act or gesture or any combination thereof directed at a student or students that:
(1) Has, or a reasonable person would expect it to have, the effect of:
(a) Physically harming a student or damaging a student’s property; or
(b) Placing a student in reasonable fear of physical harm or damage to the student’s property;
(2) Interferes with the rights of a student by:
(a) Creating an intimidating or hostile educational environment for the student; or
(b) Interfering with the student’s academic performance or ability to participate in or benefit from the services, activities or privileges provided by a school; or
(3) Is based on a student’s actual or perceived characteristics identified in Title 5, section 4602 or 4684-A, or is based on a student’s association with a person with one or more of these actual or perceived characteristics or any other distinguishing characteristics and that has the effect described in subparagraph (1) or (2).
“Bullying” includes cyberbullying.
“Cyberbullying” means bullying through the use of technology or any electronic communication, including, but not limited to, a transfer of signs, signals, writing, images, sounds, data or intelligence of any nature transmitted by the use of any electronic device, including, but not limited to, a computer, telephone, cellular telephone, text messaging device and personal digital assistant.
Me. Rev. Stat. Ann. tit. 20-A, § 6554 (2012)
Do Maine anti-bullying laws and regulations cover cyberbullying that occurs off-campus?
Yes. Maine anti-bullying laws cover off-campus conduct that takes place elsewhere, or through the use of technology, but only if the bullying also infringes on the rights of the student at school.
What are the policy requirements for schools to prevent and respond to bullying behavior?
Maine school districts must establish policies and procedures to address bullying that conform to the state model policy. School district policies must contain key policy and procedural elements, including, but not limited to:
- Provisions identifying the responsibility of students and others to comply with the policies;
- Statements that bullying, harassment, and sexual harassment and retaliation for reporting incidents are prohibited;
- Provisions outlining the responsibility of a superintendent to implement and enforce the bullying policies, including a requirement to designate school personnel to administer policies at the school level and a procedure for publicly identifying the designee;
- Procedures for reporting and investigations, including written documentation of reported incidents and the outcome of investigations;
- Procedures for a person to appeal the outcome of an investigation;
- Disciplinary consequences for violation of the policy, including false accusation or retaliation against a person who reports;
- Procedures to remediate any substantiated incident to counter the negative impact of bullying, which may include referring the victim, perpetrator, or other involved students to counseling or other appropriate services;
- Processes for communicating to the parent of a student who has been bullied the measures being taken to ensure student safety and prevent further bullying;
- Procedures for communicating with law enforcement if pursuit of criminal charges is appropriate; and
- Requirements for how the policy will be publicized within the district.
Maine anti-bullying laws require districts to file policies to address bullying and cyberbullying with the Department of Education.
Do Maine anti-bullying laws and regulations include protections for specific groups?
Yes. Maine state law prohibits bullying based on a student's actual or perceived characteristics (see Title 20-A, §6554).
Maine schools that receive federal funding are required by federal law to address discrimination based on certain personal characteristics. Find out when bullying may be a civil rights violation.
Do Maine anti-bullying laws and regulations encourage or require districts to implement bullying prevention programs or strategies?
No. Maine anti-bullying laws do not require districts to implement bullying prevention programs or strategies.
Do Maine anti-bullying laws and regulations encourage or require districts to train teachers and other school staff on how to prevent and respond to bullying incidents?
Yes. Maine school districts must provide professional development and staff training.
Do Maine anti-bullying laws and regulations encourage or require districts to provide safeguards or mental health supports for students involved with bullying?
Yes. Maine school district bullying policies must include a procedure to remediate any substantiated incident of bullying to counter the negative impact of the bullying and reduce the risk of future bullying incidents, which may include referring the victim, perpetrator, or other involved persons to counseling or other appropriate services.
Do Maine anti-bullying laws and regulations involve parents in efforts to address bullying behavior?
Yes. Maine school district policies must include a process for the school to communicate to the parent of a student who has been bullied the measures being taken to ensure the safety of the student who has been bullied and to prevent further acts of bullying.
Answers from StopBullying.gov, last reviewed April 29, 2026.
School phone and device rules
Statewide ban. Most recent statewide action: LD 2212, April 10, 2026.
Source: Ballotpedia, checked November 11, 2026.
Online safety and social media laws for minors
No state online safety laws for minors are listed for Maine in the tracker we use. Federal laws, such as COPPA and the TAKE IT DOWN Act, still apply everywhere.
Source: Orrick Online Safety Law Tracker.
Legal citations, explained (5)
Each entry shows what the law or rule is about first, then its official name with abbreviations spelled out.
- Model policy; reporting Law passed by the legislature Maine Revised Statute Annotated Title 20-A Section 254, sub-Section 11-A Read the text of Maine Revised Statute Annotated Title 20-A Section 254, sub-Section 11-A
- Adoption of student code of conduct Law passed by the legislature Maine Revised Statute Annotated Title 20-A Section 1001, sub-Section 15H Read the text of Maine Revised Statute Annotated Title 20-A Section 1001, sub-Section 15H
- Workplace bullying Law passed by the legislature Maine Revised Statute Annotated Title 20-A Section 1001, sub-Section 22 Read the text of Maine Revised Statute Annotated Title 20-A Section 1001, sub-Section 22
- Prohibition of hazing Law passed by the legislature Maine Revised Statute Annotated Title 20-A Section 6553 Read the text of Maine Revised Statute Annotated Title 20-A Section 6553
- Prohibition on bullying in public schools Law passed by the legislature Maine Revised Statute Annotated Title 20-A Section 6554 Read the text of Maine Revised Statute Annotated Title 20-A Section 6554
Official Maine resources
Educational information, not legal advice. Laws change, so confirm with your district and state education department.
Find a school district in Maine
Search by ZIP code, select a district on the map, or look one up by name. Each district links to a search for its own bullying policy, since district rules can go further than state law.
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