The New Mexico Senate has approved an anti-bullying bill spurred by the 2013 suicide of a teenager who was bullied at school.
The bill approved unanimously Tuesday calls for the creation of a five-member board to oversee grant applications to eradicate bullying in New Mexico schools, colleges and communities.
The Carlos Vigil Memorial Act would create a fund to be administered by the University of New Mexico Board of Regents.
Bill sponsor Sen. Jacob Candelaria of Albuquerque says bullying is an issue that "warrants a state response."
A Twitter post by 17-year-old Carlos Vigil of Los Lunas about enduring bullying garnered widespread media attention after he committed suicide.
Among the act's purposes is to "cultivate a statewide culture where bullying is not accepted."
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