Antibullying Bill Passed in Mass.

A state law designed to cut down on bullying, following two cases of Massachusetts youths committing suicide after allegedly being bullied, has been unanimously approved by the state legislature, reports The Boston Globe. Under the new legislation, all instances of bullying must be reported by school employees and investigated by school principals.

"Bullying is not new," Sen. Robert A. O'Leary said as he introduced the bill. "Bullying has been with us from time immemorial. But what has changed is that it appears to be more pervasive, more destructive."

The house and senate previously passed versions of the bill, and a house-senate conference committee released a compromise version April 28. It passed unanimously in both the house and senate, and now goes to Gov. Deval Patrick for his signature. The bill gained momentum after the deaths of 15-year-old Phoebe Prince and 11-year-old Carl Joseph Walker-Hoover, both Massachusetts students who committed suicide after reportedly being bullied.