EXCUSED ABSENCE; SOUNDING "TAPS" H.B. 4343:
SUMMARY OF BILL
REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE
House Bill 4343 (as reported without amendment)
Sponsor: Representative Kevin Coleman
Senate Committee: Education and Career Readiness
CONTENT
The bill would amend the Revised School Code to specify that, notwithstanding any provision of the Code to the contrary, if a public school pupil enrolled in grades 6 to 12 were absent from school for up to one full school day because the pupil was sounding "Taps" at a military honors funeral that was held in Michigan for a deceased veteran, the school's officials would have to consider that absence to be an excused absence. The board of school district or intermediate school district or board of directors of a public school academy would have to ensure that its attendance policy was consistent with the above requirement.
"Veteran" would mean that term as defined in Section 1 of Public Act 190 of 1965: an individual who served in the US Armed Forces, including the reserve components, and was discharged or released under conditions other than dishonorable. The term includes an individual who died while on active duty in the US Armed Forces.
The bill would take effect 90 days after its enactment.
Proposed MCL 380.1138a Legislative Analyst: Dana Adams
FISCAL IMPACT
The bill would have no fiscal impact on the State and only a potential one-time fiscal impact on local schools. Local schools could have to update attendance policies to be consistent with the bill. The costs associated with updating attendance policies likely would be minimal and within current operations.
Date Completed: 10-27-21 Fiscal Analyst: Cory Savino
This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.