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Utah Senate Approves Stricter Truancy Bill After Heated Debate Over Parental Penalties
Summary
After hours of floor debate and failed amendment attempts to remove criminal sanctions, the Utah Senate passed House Bill 85 to clarify enforcement of compulsory education, broaden truancy citations and define habitual truancy; sponsor says the law targets parents who willfully keep enrolled children out of school.
The Utah Senate passed House Bill 85 on March 3 after a lengthy floor debate over how the state should enforce compulsory education and whether parents should face criminal penalties for their children's truancy. The bill clarifies when parents may be charged for failing to enroll or to respond to school requests, allows a citation for a single truancy incident in some circumstances, and defines habitual truancy as three episodes leading to juvenile-court referral.
Sponsor Senator Hilliard said the bill is designed to give schools and…
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