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HF1604 (Legislative Session 94 (2025-2026))

School attendance mandated to a local welfare agency, habitual truant definition modified, and money appropriated for grants to fund child welfare response efforts.

Related bill: SF942

AI Generated Summary

This Minnesota House bill, H.F. No. 1604, focuses on addressing truancy and educational neglect by mandating school attendance reporting and funding child welfare response efforts.

Key Provisions:

  1. Modification of Habitual Truant Definition:

    • Expands the definition of habitual truancy to include children under 12 who have seven unexcused absences in a school year if the absence is not due to failure by the parent/guardian to comply with school attendance laws.

  2. Mandatory Reporting of School Attendance Issues:

    • Requires certain mandated reporters to notify local welfare agencies if a child has at least seven unexcused absences and is at risk of truancy or educational neglect.
    • Allows voluntary reports from individuals concerned about a child's attendance.
    • Reports must include details on the child, parent/guardian, number of absences, and previous efforts by school officials to address the issue.

  3. Child Welfare Response by Local Agencies:

    • Local welfare agencies must offer assistance to families with attendance concerns, partnering with community organizations if needed.
    • Services must be culturally and linguistically appropriate.
    • If unexcused absences continue and the family does not engage with services, a report of educational neglect must be filed.

  4. Funding for Child Welfare Response Efforts:

    • Appropriates funding to the Minnesota Department of Human Services for fiscal years 2026 and 2027 to support local welfare agencies' efforts to improve school attendance.
    • Funding includes evaluation of student attendance outcomes.

This bill aims to improve school attendance and provide targeted support to families at risk of educational neglect.

Bill text versions

Actions

DateChamberWhereTypeNameCommittee Name
February 25, 2025HouseFloorActionIntroduction and first reading, referred toChildren and Families Finance and Policy
February 25, 2025HouseFloorActionIntroduction and first reading, referred toChildren and Families Finance and Policy

Citations

 
[
  {
    "analysis": {
      "added": [
        "Includes children under the age of 12 in certain circumstances under educational neglect provisions."
      ],
      "removed": [
        "The age range that previously only included children between 12 and 17 for certain truancy-related definitions."
      ],
      "summary": "This bill modifies the definition of a habitual truant under section 260C.007 subdivision 19.",
      "modified": [
        "Changes to the criteria for determining habitual truancy based on age and attendance patterns."
      ]
    },
    "citation": "260C.007",
    "subdivision": "subdivision 19"
  },
  {
    "analysis": {
      "added": [],
      "removed": [],
      "summary": "References existing requirements for lawful school withdrawal under section 120A.22 subdivision 8.",
      "modified": []
    },
    "citation": "120A.22",
    "subdivision": "subdivision 8"
  },
  {
    "analysis": {
      "added": [],
      "removed": [],
      "summary": "This legislation references educational neglect proceedings under section 260C.163 subdivision 11.",
      "modified": []
    },
    "citation": "260C.163",
    "subdivision": "subdivision 11"
  },
  {
    "analysis": {
      "added": [],
      "removed": [],
      "summary": "References the Minnesota Indian Family Preservation Act in relation to child welfare services.",
      "modified": []
    },
    "citation": "260.751 to 260.835",
    "subdivision": ""
  },
  {
    "analysis": {
      "added": [],
      "removed": [],
      "summary": "References the Minnesota African American Family Preservation and Child Welfare Disproportionality Act.",
      "modified": []
    },
    "citation": "260.61 to 260.693",
    "subdivision": ""
  },
  {
    "analysis": {
      "added": [],
      "removed": [],
      "summary": "Introduces a path assignment reference under section 260E.17 for welfare response.",
      "modified": []
    },
    "citation": "260E.17",
    "subdivision": ""
  },
  {
    "analysis": {
      "added": [],
      "removed": [],
      "summary": "Mentions procedural steps for addressing ongoing truancy under section 260C.141.",
      "modified": []
    },
    "citation": "260C.141",
    "subdivision": ""
  }
]

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