HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2710        FILED ON: 1/16/2015

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 357

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Robert F. Fennell

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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act relative to dress codes in public schools.

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PETITION OF:

HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2710        FILED ON: 1/16/2015

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 357

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the One Hundred and Eighty-Ninth General Court
(2015-2016)

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An Act relative to dress codes in public schools.

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 83 of chapter 71 of the General Laws, as appearing in the  2012 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after the word “cleanliness” in line 4 the following words:

Or b) are acting in accordance with a code of personal dress and appearance as authorized by the school committee of each city, town, or regional school district after due consideration and public hearing; and 1) only if said standards or code of personal dress and appearance are defined and included in the official student handbook, or are distributed to each student and his parent or guardian at the start of each school year, or upon enrollment, whichever occurs first; 2) only if school officials make available resources to assist economically disadvantaged students, herein defined as those students  who qualify for free or reduced price lunches under federal income eligibility guidelines, to purchase clothing that meets the standards or code of personal dress and appearance; 3) only if school officials shall afford parents or guardians the flexibility to exempt their children from compliance with the standards or code of personal dress and appearance; and 4) only if this policy includes a provision that no student so exempted shall be penalized by reason of such exemption.

SECTION 2. Section 86 of chapter 71 is hereby amended by striking out the paragraph and inserting in place thereof the following paragraph: — The provision of sections 83 to 85, inclusive, shall apply only to municipal, vocational and regional school districts that accept the same by a majority vote of the school committee, or in the case of a charter school, by the board of trustees.