BILL NUMBER: SB 1148	INTRODUCED
	BILL TEXT


INTRODUCED BY   Senator Alquist

                        FEBRUARY 18, 2010

   An act to amend Section 48260 of the Education Code, relating to
pupil attendance.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   SB 1148, as introduced, Alquist. Pupil attendance.
   Existing law defines a truant as any pupil subject to compulsory
full-time education or to compulsory continuation education who is
absent from school without valid excuse 3 full days in one school
year, or any combination thereof.
   This bill would define a chronic truant as any pupil subject to
compulsory full-time education or to compulsory continuing education
who is absent from school without valid excuse for 10% or more of the
schooldays in one school year.
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: no.
State-mandated local program: no.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  SECTION 1.  Section 48260 of the Education Code is amended to read:

   48260.  (a) Any pupil subject to compulsory full-time education or
to compulsory continuation education who is absent from school
without valid excuse three full days in one school year or tardy or
absent for more than any 30-minute period during the schoolday
without a valid excuse on three occasions in one school year, or any
combination thereof, is a truant and shall be reported to the
attendance supervisor or to the superintendent of the school
district. 
   (b) Any pupil subject to compulsory full-time education or to
compulsory continuing education who is absent from school without
valid excuse for 10 percent or more of the schooldays in one school
year is a chronic truant.  
   (b) 
    (c)  Notwithstanding  subdivision  
subdivisions  (a)  and (b)  , it is the intent of the
Legislature that school districts shall not change the method of
attendance accounting provided for in existing law and shall not be
required to employ period-by-period attendance accounting.