SECOND REGULAR SESSION
[PERFECTED]
HOUSE COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR
93RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
Reported from the Committee on Children and Families March 8, 2006 with recommendation that House Committee Substitute for House Bill No. 1182 Do Pass. Referred to the Committee on Rules pursuant to Rule 25(26)(f).
Reported from the Committee on Rules March 14, 2006 with recommendation that House Committee Substitute for House Bill No. 1182 Do Pass with no time limit for debate.
Taken up for Perfection April 5, 2006. House Committee Substitute for House Bill No. 1182 ordered Perfected and printed.
STEPHEN S. DAVIS, Chief Clerk
AN ACT
To repeal section 167.031, RSMo, and to enact in lieu thereof two new sections relating to jurisdiction of the juvenile court.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the state of Missouri, as follows:
Section A. Section 167.031, RSMo, is repealed and two new sections enacted in lieu thereof, to be known as sections 167.031 and 211.034, to read as follows:
167.031. 1. Every parent, guardian or other person in this state having charge, control or custody of a child not enrolled in a public, private, parochial, parish school or full-time equivalent attendance in a combination of such schools and between the ages of seven years and the compulsory attendance age for the district is responsible for enrolling the child in a program of academic instruction which complies with subsection 2 of this section. Any parent, guardian or other person who enrolls a child between the ages of five and seven years in a public school program of academic instruction shall cause such child to attend the academic program on a regular basis, according to this section. Nonattendance by such child shall cause such parent, guardian or other responsible person to be in violation of the provisions of section 167.061, except as provided by this section. A parent, guardian or other person in this state having charge, control, or custody of a child between the ages of seven years of age and the compulsory attendance age for the district shall cause the child to attend regularly some public, private, parochial, parish, home school or a combination of such schools not less than the entire school term of the school which the child attends; except that
(1) A child who, to the satisfaction of the superintendent of public schools of the district in which he resides, or if there is no superintendent then the chief school officer, is determined to be mentally or physically incapacitated may be excused from attendance at school for the full time required, or any part thereof;
(2) A child between fourteen years of age and the compulsory attendance age for the district may be excused from attendance at school for the full time required, or any part thereof, by the superintendent of public schools of the district, or if there is none then by a court of competent jurisdiction, when legal employment has been obtained by the child and found to be desirable, and after the parents or guardian of the child have been advised of the pending action; or
(3) A child between five and seven years of age shall be excused from attendance at school if a parent, guardian or other person having charge, control or custody of the child makes a written request that the child be dropped from the school's rolls.
2. (1) As used in sections 167.031 to 167.071, a "home school" is a school, whether incorporated or unincorporated, that:
(a) Has as its primary purpose the provision of private or religious-based instruction;
(b) Enrolls pupils between the ages of seven years and the compulsory attendance age for the district, of which no more than four are unrelated by affinity or consanguinity in the third degree; and
(c) Does not charge or receive consideration in the form of tuition, fees, or other remuneration in a genuine and fair exchange for provision of instruction;
(2) As evidence that a child is receiving regular instruction, the parent shall, except as otherwise provided in this subsection:
(a) Maintain the following records:
a. A plan book, diary, or other written record indicating subjects taught and activities engaged in; and
b. A portfolio of samples of the child's academic work; and
c. A record of evaluations of the child's academic progress; or
d. Other written, or credible evidence equivalent to subparagraphs a., b. and c.; and
(b) Offer at least one thousand hours of instruction, at least six hundred hours of which will be in reading, language arts, mathematics, social studies and science or academic courses that are related to the aforementioned subject areas and consonant with the pupil's age and ability. At least four hundred of the six hundred hours shall occur at the regular home school location;
(3) The requirements of subdivision (2) of this subsection shall not apply to any pupil above the age of sixteen years.
3. Nothing in this section shall require a private, parochial, parish or home school to include in its curriculum any concept, topic, or practice in conflict with the school's religious doctrines or to exclude from its curriculum any concept, topic, or practice consistent with the school's religious doctrines. Any other provision of the law to the contrary notwithstanding, all departments or agencies of the state of Missouri shall be prohibited from dictating through rule, regulation or other device any statewide curriculum for private, parochial, parish or home schools.
4. A school year begins on the first day of July and ends on the thirtieth day of June following.
5. The production by a parent of a daily log showing that a home school has a course of instruction which satisfies the requirements of this section or, in the case of a pupil over the age of sixteen years who attended a metropolitan school district the previous year, a written statement that the pupil is attending home school in compliance with this section shall be a defense to any prosecution under this section and to any charge or action for educational neglect brought pursuant to chapter 210, RSMo.
6. As used in sections 167.031 to 167.051, the term "compulsory attendance age for the district" shall mean:
(1) Seventeen years of age for any metropolitan school district for which the school board adopts a resolution to establish such compulsory attendance age; provided that such resolution shall take effect no earlier than the school year next following the school year during which the resolution is adopted; and
(2) Sixteen years of age in all other cases.
The school board of a metropolitan school district for which the compulsory attendance age is seventeen years may adopt a resolution to lower the compulsory attendance age to sixteen years; provided that such resolution shall take effect no earlier than the school year next following the school year during which the resolution is adopted.
7. The provisions of this section shall apply to any parent, guardian, or other person in this state having charge, control, or custody of a child between the ages of fifteen and eighteen if such child has not received a high school diploma or its equivalent and a court order has been issued as to such child under section 211.034, RSMo.
211.034. 1. Any parent, legal guardian, or other person having legal custody of a minor child may, at any time after the minor child attains fifteen years of age and before the minor child attains eighteen years of age, petition the circuit court for the county where the minor child and parent, legal guardian, or other person having legal custody of the minor child reside to extend the jurisdiction of the juvenile court until the minor child reaches the age of eighteen years.
2. The petition shall be accompanied by verified proof of service on the minor child and certified copies of documents demonstrating that the petitioner is the parent, legal guardian, or other legal custodian of the minor child. If the petitioner is not the natural parent of the minor child, the petition shall be accompanied by:
(1) An affidavit from at least one of the child's natural parents consenting to the granting of the petition; or
(2) An affidavit from the petitioner stating that the natural parents:
(a) Are deceased;
(b) Have been declared legally incompetent;
(c) Have had their parental rights as to the minor child terminated by a court of competent jurisdiction;
(d) Have voluntarily surrendered their parental rights as to the minor child;
(e) Have abandoned the minor child;
(f) Are unknown; or
(g) Are otherwise unavailable, in which case, the affidavit shall state the reasons why the natural parents are unavailable.
In all cases where any parent, legal guardian, or other person having legal custody of a minor child petitions the court to extend the jurisdiction of the juvenile court until the minor child's eighteenth birthday, the court shall appoint an attorney to represent the minor child. An individual filing the petition shall pay the attorney fees of the minor child.
3. Upon the filing of a petition under this section and a determination by the court in favor of the petitioner, the circuit court shall issue an order declaring that the minor child shall remain under the jurisdiction of the juvenile court for all purposes under state law until the minor child reaches eighteen years of age; except that, for purposes of criminal law and procedure, including arrest, prosecution, trial, and punishment, if the minor is certified as an adult, the minor shall remain a certified adult despite the issuance of a court order under this section. Such minor child shall be subject to the compulsory school attendance requirements of section 167.031, RSMo, until the minor child receives a high school diploma or its equivalent, or reaches eighteen years of age. The court order shall be filed with the circuit clerk for the county where the petitioner resides.
4. Nothing in this section shall be construed as creating any civil or criminal liability for any law enforcement officer, juvenile officer, school personnel, or court personnel for any action taken or failure to take any action involving a minor child who remains under the jurisdiction of the juvenile court under this section if such action or failure to take action is based on a good faith belief by such officer or personnel that the minor child is not under the jurisdiction of the juvenile court.
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