Statement from state Representative Frank Liberati (D-Allen Park) on a package of bills to limit the use of restraint and seclusion on students with special needs:

“This legislation works to strike a balance between respecting the dignity of students and staff and ensuring their safety. In 2006, the State Board of Education set standards limiting the application of restraint and seclusion to emergency situations, but those standards don’t carry the weight of Michigan law. I’m proud that all members of the Disabilities Awareness Caucus and the members of the Special Education Reform Task Force introduced legislation to codify the practice of non-emergency and emergency restraint and seclusion into state law, which will improve outcomes for all involved.”