An Act To Amend Maine's Truancy Laws by Specifying Penalties for Noncompliance
Sec. 1. 20-A MRSA §1055, sub-§12, as amended by PL 2003, c. 205, §7, is further amended to read:
Confidentiality of the criminal justice information regarding juveniles must be ensured at all times and the information may be released by a member of the reintegration team only under the conditions of this subsection. The superintendent shall ensure that confidentiality training is provided to all school employees who have access to the information.
Sec. 2. 20-A MRSA §5001-A, sub-§1, as enacted by PL 1983, c. 806, §49, is amended to read:
Sec. 3. 20-A MRSA §5001-A, sub-§2, ¶B, as amended by PL 2009, c. 330, §1, is further amended to read:
(1) Reached the age of 15 17 years or completed the 9th 11th grade;
(2) Permission to leave school from that person's parent;
(3) Been approved by the principal for a suitable program of work and study or training;
(4) Permission to leave school from the school board or its designee; and
(5) Agreed in writing with that person's parent and the school board or its designee to meet annually until that person's 17th 18th birthday to review that person's educational needs. When the request to be excused from school has been denied pursuant to this paragraph, the student's parent may appeal to the commissioner;
Sec. 4. 20-A MRSA §5001-A, sub-§5, as amended by PL 1989, c. 415, §15, is further amended to read:
Sec. 5. 20-A MRSA §5051-A, sub-§1, ¶B, as amended by PL 2007, c. 304, §5, is further amended to read:
Sec. 6. 20-A MRSA §5051-A, sub-§2, ¶A-2, as enacted by PL 2011, c. 614, §13, is amended to read:
(1) Frequent communication between the teacher and the family;
(2) Changes in the learning environment , including placement to different classes or multiple pathways as described under section 4703;
(3) Mentoring;
(4) Student counseling;
(5) Tutoring, including peer tutoring;
(6) Placement into different classes Peer mediation with guidance counselors;
(7) Consideration of multiple pathways as described under section 4703;
(8) Attendance contracts;
(9) Referral to other agencies for family services; and
(10) Other interventions, including, but not limited to, referral to the school attendance coordinator, student assistance intervention team or , dropout prevention committee or local law enforcement officer acting as a school resource officer.
Failure of the student or the student's parents to appear at scheduled meetings does not preclude the school administrators from implementing an intervention plan to address the student's truancy.
Sec. 7. 20-A MRSA §5051-A, sub-§2, ¶B-1, as enacted by PL 2011, c. 614, §13, is amended to read:
(1) Identifying school personnel responsible for notifying the student assistance intervention team or the school personnel designated by the superintendent in accordance with the school administrative unit's intervention system when a student is truant;
(2) A process for referral of a student who is truant, including identifying school personnel responsible for inviting the parents and the student to participate in any meeting that results from this referral;
(3) A timeline for setting up a meeting and developing an intervention plan under paragraph A-2;
(4) A plan for dealing with future absences of a student who is truant; and
(5) A plan for reporting of the results of the intervention plan developed pursuant to paragraph A-2.
Sec. 8. 20-A MRSA §5051-A, sub-§2, ¶F, as amended by PL 2011, c. 614, §13, is further amended to read:
Sec. 9. 20-A MRSA §5051-A, sub-§3, as amended by PL 2011, c. 614, §13, is further amended to read:
(1) Identify the number of truants in the school administrative unit in the preceding current school year;
(2) Describe the unit's efforts to deal with truancy;
(3) Account for actions brought under this section including the number of truants reported to the student assistance intervention team or the school personnel designated by the superintendent in accordance with the school administrative unit's intervention system under section 4710; and
(4) Include any other information on truancy requested by the commissioner.
Sec. 10. 20-A MRSA §5053-A, sub-§1, as amended by PL 2011, c. 614, §15, is further amended to read:
A parent who commits a civil violation under this subsection after having previously committed a civil violation under this subsection commits a civil violation for which a fine of not more than $500 may be adjudged, none of which may be suspended. The superintendent may inform the Department of Health and Human Services that the student is a victim of abuse or neglect under Title 22, chapter 1071 based on the parent's failure to ensure compliance with school attendance requirements.
Sec. 11. 20-A MRSA §5053-A, sub-§4, as amended by PL 2011, c. 614, §17, is further amended to read:
Sec. 12. 20-A MRSA §5053-A, sub-§8 is enacted to read:
The Secretary of State may suspend the driver's license of a student holding a driver's license who violates this subsection for a period not to exceed 6 months.
Sec. 13. 20-A MRSA §8605, sub-§1, ¶A, as amended by PL 1991, c. 518, §37, is further amended to read:
Sec. 14. 20-A MRSA §8605, sub-§1, ¶A-1, as enacted by PL 1991, c. 518, §37, is amended to read:
SUMMARY
This bill changes the age range for compulsory school attendance from 7 years of age to under 17 years of age to 6 years of age to under 18 years of age and changes the number of absences required for a student to be considered truant. It establishes a fine for parents adjudged for repeated violations of the truancy laws and allows the superintendent to inform the Department of Health and Human Services that the student is a victim of abuse or neglect based on the parent's failure to ensure compliance with school attendance requirements. It also establishes a fine and possible driver's license suspension for truant students.