Hearings To Be Held On New Mass. Bullying Law

BOSTON (AP) - Attorney General Martha Coakley is set to hold hearings on the state's new anti-bullying law.

Coakley chairs a panel that was created under the 2010 law to explore whether additional state laws need to be passed or amended to crack down on school bullying.

The first hearing is scheduled for Thursday at the Statehouse. Another is scheduled for Springfield on Feb. 17.

The law was prompted by several high-profile incidents including the suicide of 15-year-old Phoebe Prince last year after what authorities said was relentless bullying and harassment by classmates at South Hadley High School.

The law requires all school systems in the state to develop bullying prevention plans and cracks down on cyberbullying.

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