California Governor Gavin Newsom signed a new bill on Wednesday, October 1st, abolishing the truancy law championed by former Vice President Kamala Harris during her tenure as the state’s attorney general. Moving forward, parents in the state will no longer face fines or imprisonment for their children’s absences from school.
Kamala Harris, while serving as California’s attorney general in 2011, vigorously promoted the truancy law (SB 1317) which was passed by the state legislature and signed into effect by the governor. The law mandated that parents would face criminal liability if their children skipped school or accumulated absences exceeding 10% from kindergarten through eighth grade, potentially resulting in misdemeanor charges with penalties of up to $2,000 in fines or one year in county jail.
At that time, Harris asserted that the law was an “effective strategy” to reduce chronic truancy among elementary school students and also aid in crime prevention.
Governor Newsom signed Assembly Bill 461 on Wednesday, terminating the provision that held parents accountable for their children’s truancy and removing the related 2011 law from the state penal code. The new law will take effect on January 1st next year.
The bill’s sponsor, Democratic state Assemblyman Patrick Ahrens from Silicon Valley, expressed gratitude for Governor Newsom’s signing of the bill, which repealed what he deemed as a failed policy punishing struggling California families for their children’s absences. Ahrens stated that imposing fines or imprisonment on parents did not benefit children in gaining the necessary education and support.
According to reports from the nonprofit education organization EdSource, even though California’s truancy law has been in place for over a decade, instances of school districts penalizing parents have decreased.
The initial arrests under the truancy law occurred in 2011, with five parents in Orange County, California, arrested for disregarding repeated requests from the school to send their children to class. They were handcuffed and taken to Orange County Jail, later released on bail.
While some parents in California were indeed arrested under the truancy law, it is unclear how many cases ultimately led to criminal charges being filed. Most school districts, according to the California District Attorneys Association, opt for communication with parents through emails, letters, and phone calls to address truancy issues instead of pursuing legal actions.
The new legislation was advocated for by the End Child Poverty California, SEIU California, and the Western Center on Law and Poverty. Multiple judicial and parent groups, including the California State PTA, voiced their support.
SEIU California stated: “No parent wants their child to miss crucial learning opportunities in school; repeated unexcused absences may indicate a need for help within the family, such as obtaining medical documentation or addressing bullying issues on campus.”
The Western Center on Law and Poverty also praised the new law, stating: “This outdated and ineffective policy was convicting families rather than providing support. This bill will aid families in distress, such as those concerned about deportation, facing poverty, and dealing with mental health issues.”
The Epoch Times reached out to Kamala Harris for comment, but no response was received before the deadline.