The author reports on the issue of bullying that rose on state legislative agendas this year, with 21 states passing anti-bullying laws--some of which expanded schools' responsibilities to keep a check on any harassment that goes on among students. States set out to write clear definitions of bullying and to regulate school policies and responsibilities in reaction to the U.S. Department of Education's stepped-up focus on the behavior, renewed public concerns following a series of high-profile student suicides, and an increase in cyberbullying. The most far-reaching of the new crop of laws is arguably New Jersey's, which requires each school to have an anti-bullying specialist and to report incidents to the state. Laws passed by other states vary in their scope and prescriptiveness, reflecting debate about the respective roles of state, local, and federal governments in dealing with school issues like bullying. But anti-bullying legislation is a relatively new priority, and legislatures are still refining their strategies.