The proposed legislation, General Assembly Raised Bill No. 7015, aims to amend Section 10-198a of the general statutes to exclude excused absences for students observing religious holidays from truancy determinations. The bill defines a "truant" as a child aged five to eighteen who has four unexcused absences in a month or ten unexcused absences in a school year. It mandates local and regional boards of education to adopt policies regarding truancy, including meetings with parents, coordination with community agencies, and monitoring of absences.

Key insertions in the bill include provisions that grant students one day of excused absence per school year to observe a religious holiday, with the possibility of additional days at the discretion of the local or regional board of education. Parents or guardians are responsible for obtaining assignments prior to the absence and ensuring their completion upon the child's return. The bill also modifies existing language to replace "his or her" with "such child's" for clarity. The act is set to take effect on July 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
Raised Bill: 10-198a