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Committee agrees to SB 581 substitute to make 4‑H and FFA participation an excused absence
Summary
The West Virginia Senate Education Committee on March 16 agreed to a committee substitute for Senate Bill 581 that would require public schools to treat student participation in 4‑H or FFA activities as excused absences equivalent to educational field trips, require documentation on request, allow make-up work and prohibit grade penalties.
The West Virginia Senate Education Committee on March 16 agreed to a committee substitute for Senate Bill 581 that would require public schools to treat student participation in 4‑H or Future Farmers of America (FFA) activities as excused absences equivalent to educational field trips. The substitute requires agents to provide documentation of participation on request, allows students to make up missed schoolwork, and prohibits adverse grade consequences for absences related to 4‑H or FFA activities.
Why it matters: the substitute clarifies attendance treatment for students participating in recognized agricultural and youth-development programs and aims to remove local inconsistency in how schools count those absences.
Committee counsel summarized the substitute: a student who participates in a 4‑H or FFA activity "must be credited as present in the same manner as a student participating in an educational field trip and the student not be counted as absent. A 4‑H or FFA agent must provide documentation as proof of the student's participation in the 4‑H or FFA activity if requested by the school principal. The student must be able to make up any schoolwork missed while the student was participating in a 4‑H or FFA activity and the student's class grades cannot be adversely affected for lack of attendance." Counsel added the substitute excludes students from being counted as present if participation occurs during suspension, expulsion or assignment to alternative school.
Senator Flamingo said he was "very much in favor of this bill," noting leadership and learning opportunities provided by 4‑H and FFA. Other members raised process questions: Senator from Randolph asked whether the substitute limits the number of days a student may be absent for such activities; counsel responded there is no limit in the substitute. Senator from Taylor proposed restoring language from a prior iteration that would allow "personal or academic circumstances approved by the principal" to be listed as excused absences to reduce local inconsistency; the chair suggested resolving precise language on the floor later and indicated a floor amendment could be offered if members wished to refine the wording.
Committee action: after discussion and without adopting further amendments in committee, the committee agreed to the committee substitute by voice vote and the vice chair moved that the substitute be reported to the full Senate with the recommendation that it do pass; the motion was adopted. The transcript records voice votes; no numeric tallies appear in the record.
Ending: The substitute advances to the full Senate. Committee members indicated support for clarifying attendance rules while some expressed concern about guidance and possible uneven local application; the chair signaled room for a technical floor amendment if members want to tighten the language.
