An Act amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, in pupils and attendance, further providing for excuses from attending school.
Summary
SB77 would amend the Public School Code of 1949 by revising the section on excuses from attending school in the chapter on pupils and attendance. Based on the caption, the bill is focused on when a student may be excused from compulsory school attendance and would update the statutory rules that schools and families must follow when a child is absent for an approved reason.
Because the bill text is not available in the provided materials, the precise changes are not specified here. However, the measure would likely affect school districts, parents or guardians, students subject to compulsory attendance, and school attendance officers by changing the legal standards for excused absences and related attendance procedures.
Impact
SB77 would amend provisions of the Public School Code of 1949 governing pupil attendance, specifically the rules for excusing students from attending school. If enacted, it would alter state law in the area of compulsory attendance and could affect district attendance policies, documentation requirements, and how schools classify and record absences. The bill was referred to the Senate Education Committee, indicating it is a school policy measure within the state education code.
Sentiment
No committee transcripts or recorded votes were provided, so there is no direct evidence of debate or opposition in the available record. The bill’s referral to the Education Committee suggests it is being considered as a routine education-policy amendment, but the overall sentiment cannot be determined from the materials supplied.
Contention
The main potential points of contention would likely involve how broadly absences may be excused, whether the bill makes it easier or harder for families to obtain excused status, and how much discretion schools would retain in enforcing attendance rules. Stakeholders most likely to have differing views include parents and advocacy groups concerned about flexibility for student absences, and school administrators or attendance officials concerned about consistent enforcement and truancy prevention.