Bill Text: NH HB352 | 2024 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Relative to excused absences due to a student's mental or behavioral health.

Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2024-01-03 - Inexpedient to Legislate: Motion Adopted Voice Vote 01/03/2024 House Journal 1 P. 46 [HB352 Detail]

Download: New_Hampshire-2024-HB352-Introduced.html

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HB 352  - AS INTRODUCED

 

 

2023 SESSION

23-0223

09/10

 

HOUSE BILL 352

 

AN ACT relative to excused absences due to a student's mental or behavioral health.

 

SPONSORS: Rep. Alexander Jr., Hills. 29; Rep. Kenney, Straf. 10; Rep. DeSimone, Rock. 18; Sen. Fenton, Dist 10

 

COMMITTEE: Education

 

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ANALYSIS

 

This bill requires the inclusion of mental and behavioral health issues as excused absences for students at public schools.

 

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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.

Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]

Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

23-0223

09/10

 

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

 

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty Three

 

AN ACT relative to excused absences due to a student's mental or behavioral health.

 

Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

 

1  Truancy; Excused Absences; Mental Health.  Amend RSA 189:34, II(a) to read as follows:

(a) A definition of "excused absence" and a process for considering exceptions to absences not otherwise excused.

(1)  The definition of excused absence adopted by each public school shall have language which includes students' mental and behavioral health as a valid excuse for their absence.

(2)  Public schools shall allow all students who are absent from school due to a mental or behavioral health issue an opportunity to make up the school work they missed.

(3)  Students shall not have their grades adversely affected by a lack of class attendance or participation due to mental or behavioral health related excused absences.

(4)  Students receiving an excused absence due to a mental or behavioral health issue shall be considered present by their school during the excused absence period, for the purpose of calculating average daily attendance.

2  Effective Date.  This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.