HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3310        FILED ON: 1/14/2009

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 512

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the Year Two Thousand Nine

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An Act Relative to Parental Consent for School Behavioral Screening..

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

Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, No child attending a public or private school  shall receive mental health or suicide screening without prior written consent of  a parent or legal guardian and shall indicate therein that such parent or guardian has read and understood the  parental notification statements concerning screening and follow-up prior to actual screening.

The Commissioner of Education in cooperation with the Department of Mental Health shall promulgate regulations to enforce exemption provisions for mental health and or suicide screenings for every city and town in the commonwealth. The department of education shall promulgate regulations for adjudicatory proceedings to resolve any and all disputes arising under this section