The House Committee on Education heard SB 282 on absenteeism and school attendance authored by Sen. Donato, Sen. Rogers, and Sen. Raatz and sponsored by Rep. Carbaugh. The bill requires the superintendent or attendance officer to report a child to the intake officer of the juvenile court not more than 10 days after the child becomes a habitual truant unless an exception applies. The juvenile court may determine that a student is committing a delinquent act as provided under Ind. Code § 31-37-2-3, and a parent of the student may be subject to prosecution under Ind. Code § 35-46-1-4.
Testimony in support was offered by the Indiana Association of School Principals, the Indiana Coalition for Growing and Suburban Schools, the Indiana Urban Schools Association, the Indiana Small and Rural Schools Association, the Indiana State Teachers Association, the Indiana School Social Workers Association, the Federation of Teachers of Indiana, the Indiana Association of Public School Superintendents, and the Indiana School Board Association. There was no testimony in opposition.
The Committee considered multiple amendments, including Amendment 11, which provides that a prosecuting attorney shall notify a parent of a child when an affidavit is filed regarding the child’s compulsory attendance violations or if the child is a habitual truant as defined by Ind. Code § 20-18-2-6.5. The amendment further requires the prosecuting attorney to file and prosecute actions under this section as in other criminal cases and requires that the court shall promptly hear cases brought under this section. The amended bill passed 9-2.
Read the bill at: https://iga.in.gov/legislative/2024/bills/senate/282