SB378 HFAT SHOTT 3-11

Delegate Shott moves to amend the bill by striking out the title and substituting therefor a new title, to read as follows:

Senate Bill 378-- A BILL to amend and reenact §18-8-4 and §18-8-8 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, all relating generally to truancy intervention; expanding definition of excused absence; exempting absences for chronic medical condition or disability which may be reasonably accommodated by the school; requiring parent to request reasonable accommodation; defining “chronic medical condition or disability”; requiring written excuses or documentation from a medical provider in certain cases; limiting number of days which may be excused absences; defining “immediate family”; requiring verification of absence for judicial obligation or court appearance; allowing principal to authorize excused absences for other reason or for longer periods of time with the approval of the county superintendent; removing notice requirement after three days absence; requiring written excuses or documentation to be submitted within certain time frame; defining the term “reasonable accommodation”; requiring written notice in the case that five days have passed from absence totaling or bringing a student to three unexcused absences and providing that such notice can be disregarded in favor of other written notice if unexcused absences total five or more days; and modifying the effect of student suspensions to reflect that absences due to suspension are excused.