Sec. 1. 22 MRSA §4067 is enacted to read:

§4067. Permission for participation in school activities

The department shall develop and disseminate a standard form to be used by school administrative units to authorize participation by children in the custody of the department in school athletics, field trips and other extracurricular activities.__This form must be signed once each year by a representative of the department following the enrollment of the child in a school and forwarded to the school administrative unit attended by the child. This form provides the necessary legal permission for the child to participate in such activities.__A child in the custody of the department must secure the signature of a caretaker on permission slips for specific activities as do other students in order to ensure notice to the caretaker of the child's participation in those activities.

SUMMARY

This bill is submitted by the Legislative Youth Advisory Council. It directs the Department of Health and Human Services to develop a standard form to be used to indicate approval by the department for children in the custody of the department to participate in school sports, field trips and other extracurricular activities.