HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2208        FILED ON: 1/19/2023

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 467

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Carol A. Doherty

_________________

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 expanding reasons for excused absences from school to include mental or behavioral health.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Date Added:

Carol A. Doherty

3rd Bristol

1/19/2023

James K. Hawkins

2nd Bristol

1/29/2023

Ryan M. Hamilton

15th Essex

2/2/2023

James C. Arena-DeRosa

8th Middlesex

2/9/2023

Joan Meschino

3rd Plymouth

2/9/2023

Patrick M. O'Connor

First Plymouth and Norfolk

2/9/2023

Rebecca L. Rausch

Norfolk, Worcester and Middlesex

2/19/2023

Lindsay N. Sabadosa

1st Hampshire

2/19/2023

Paul McMurtry

11th Norfolk

2/20/2023

Simon Cataldo

14th Middlesex

2/27/2023

Shirley B. Arriaga

8th Hampden

2/27/2023

Adrianne Pusateri Ramos

14th Essex

4/5/2023

Ryan C. Fattman

Worcester and Hampden

4/5/2023

Bruce E. Tarr

First Essex and Middlesex

4/5/2023

Jennifer Balinsky Armini

8th Essex

5/18/2023

Adam Scanlon

14th Bristol

5/18/2023

Sal N. DiDomenico

Middlesex and Suffolk

6/5/2023

Danillo A. Sena

37th Middlesex

7/21/2023

Hannah Kane

11th Worcester

12/11/2023


HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2208        FILED ON: 1/19/2023

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 467

By Representative Doherty of Taunton, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 467) of Carol A. Doherty and others relative to expanding reasons for excused absences from school to include mental or behavioral health.  Education.

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)

_______________

 

An Act expanding reasons for excused absences from school to include mental or behavioral health.

 

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 1 of Chapter 76 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2020 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting in line 25, after the words “any period of six months”, the following:-

“, provided that a school shall excuse absences due to mental health symptoms in the same manner that absences are excused for physical health symptoms. Likewise, any requirement for documentation, either from a parent or health professional, shall be consistent for absence due to mental health symptoms as for physical health symptoms. When documentation is required of a healthcare professional, a school shall accept documentation from licensed mental health care professionals in the same manner as documentation from other health care professionals. A child who is absent due to mental or behavioral health shall be offered the opportunity to meet with a certified school counselor upon return to school, but shall not be required to do so.”