H.B. 399

             1     

TRUANCY AMENDMENTS

             2     
2014 GENERAL SESSION

             3     
STATE OF UTAH

             4     
Chief Sponsor: Francis D. Gibson

             5     
Senate Sponsor: Curtis S. Bramble

             6     
             7      LONG TITLE
             8      General Description:
             9          This bill amends certain provisions related to truancy.
             10      Highlighted Provisions:
             11          This bill:
             12          .    provides that a local school board or charter school governing board may not issue a
             13      habitual truant citation to a school-age minor if the school-age minor:
             14              .    has at least a 3.5 cumulative grade point average; and
             15              .    is at least 14 years old; and
             16          .    makes technical changes.
             17      Money Appropriated in this Bill:
             18          None
             19      Other Special Clauses:
             20          None
             21      Utah Code Sections Affected:
             22      AMENDS:
             23           53A-11-101.7 , as last amended by Laws of Utah 2012, Chapter 203
             24     
             25      Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
             26          Section 1. Section 53A-11-101.7 is amended to read:
             27           53A-11-101.7. Truancy -- Notice of truancy -- Failure to cooperate with school


             28      authorities -- Habitual truant citation.
             29          (1) Except as provided in Section 53A-11-102 or 53A-11-102.5 , a school-age minor
             30      who is enrolled in a public school shall attend the public school in which the school-age minor
             31      is enrolled.
             32          (2) A local school board, [local] charter school governing board, or school district may
             33      impose administrative penalties on a school-age minor who is truant.
             34          (3) A local school board or [local] charter school governing board:
             35          (a) may authorize a school administrator, a designee of a school administrator, a law
             36      enforcement officer acting as a school resource officer, or a truancy specialist to issue notices
             37      of truancy to school-age minors who are at least 12 years old; and
             38          (b) shall establish a procedure for a school-age minor, or the school-age minor's
             39      parents, to contest a notice of truancy.
             40          (4) The notice of truancy described in Subsection (3):
             41          (a) may not be issued until the school-age minor has been truant at least five times
             42      during the school year;
             43          (b) may not be issued to a school-age minor who is less than 12 years old;
             44          (c) may not be issued to a minor exempt from school attendance as provided in Section
             45      53A-11-102 or 53A-11-102.5 ;
             46          (d) shall direct the school-age minor and the parent of the school-age minor to:
             47          (i) meet with school authorities to discuss the school-age minor's truancies; and
             48          (ii) cooperate with the school board, local charter board, or school district in securing
             49      regular attendance by the school-age minor; and
             50          (e) shall be mailed to, or served on, the school-age minor's parent.
             51          (5) [A] (a) Except as provided in Subsection (5)(b), a habitual truant citation may be
             52      issued to a habitual truant if:
             53          [(a)] (i) the local school board, [local] charter school governing board, or school
             54      district has made reasonable efforts, under Section 53A-11-103 , to resolve the school
             55      attendance problems of the habitual truant; and
             56          [(b)] (ii) the efforts to resolve the school attendance problems, described in Subsection
             57      (5)(a), have not been successful.
             58          (b) A habitual truant citation may not be issued to a habitual truant if the habitual


             59      truant:
             60          (i) has at least a 3.5 cumulative grade point average; and
             61          (ii) is at least 14 years old.
             62          (6) A habitual truant to whom a habitual truant citation is issued under Subsection (5):
             63          (a) shall be referred to the juvenile court for violation of Subsection (1); and
             64          (b) is subject to the jurisdiction of the juvenile court.
             65          (7) A notice of truancy or a habitual truant citation may only be issued by:
             66          (a) a school administrator, or a truancy specialist, who is authorized by a local school
             67      board or [local] charter school governing board;
             68          (b) a designee of a school administrator described in Subsection (7)(a); or
             69          (c) a law enforcement officer acting as a school resource officer.
             70          (8) Nothing in this part prohibits a local school board, [local] charter school governing
             71      board, or school district from taking action to resolve a truancy problem with a school-age
             72      minor who has been truant less than five times, provided that the action does not conflict with
             73      the requirements of this part.
             74          (9) Nothing in this part allows a local school board or charter school governing board
             75      to issue a citation pursuant to this section if the minor is exempt from school attendance as
             76      provided in Section 53A-11-102 or 53A-11-102.5 .




Legislative Review Note
    as of 2-24-14 5:51 PM


Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel


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