HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2087        FILED ON: 1/14/2009

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 368

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the Year Two Thousand Nine

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An Act to reform punitive suspension from the public schools of the Commonwealth..

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

Section 1.Section 37h of chapter 71 of the general laws is hereby amended by adding the following paragraph:

When a student is punitively suspended from school under the provisions of this section, the length of that suspension shall be served in mandatory community service.  A completed day of suspension shall consist of a minimum of four hours of supervised and documented service.  The policies and procedures for the supervision and completion of said disciplinary service shall be published with the rest of the policies required by this chapter.