- Collection:
- Georgia Government Publications
- Serial:
- Press release.
- Title:
- Press release [Sept. 16, 2003]
- Creator:
- Georgia. General Assembly. House. Public Information Office
- Contributor to Resource:
- Georgia. General Assembly. House. Public Information Office
- Publisher:
- Atlanta, Ga. : Georgia. General Assembly. House. Public Information Office
- Date of Original:
- 2003-09-16
- Subject:
- Georgia
- Location:
- United States, Georgia, 32.75042, -83.50018
- Medium:
- publications (documents)
- Type:
- Text
- Format:
- application/pdf
- Description:
- Open access; Unrestricted online access star GAGAL
July 29, 2002B; title from Georgia Government Publications citation, viewed September 19, 2007. - External Identifiers:
- Call Number GA L412 .P1 P7 2003/9-16
- Metadata URL:
- https://dlg.galileo.usg.edu/id:dlg_ggpd_i-ga-bl412-b-pp1-bp7-b2003-s9-h16-belec-p-btext
- Digital Object URL:
- https://dlg.galileo.usg.edu/do:dlg_ggpd_i-ga-bl412-b-pp1-bp7-b2003-s9-h16-belec-p-btext
- Language:
- eng
- Holding Institution:
- University of Georgia. Map and Government Information Library
- Rights:
-
Georgia House of Representatives
Public Information Office
Room 131, State Capitol 30334
404-656-5082 1-800-282-5800
9-1839-4993
September 16, 2003
Rural Lawmakers Work to Reduce Truancy
State Must "Make the Grade" when it Comes to School Attendance
Atlanta Representative Hinson Mosley, D-Jesup, Tommy Smith, D-Alma and House Speaker Terry Coleman, D-Eastman, have all signed on to HB 395 and will work for it passage in next year's session that begins Monday, January 12, 2004.
The measure, which is sponsored by Rep. Mosley, allows school attendance officials to assume temporary custody of children who are habitually absent. Under the bill, truancy officers would be granted much of the same rights currently given to peace officers when they assume custody of children from abusive parents.
"It has been proven that chronic truancy is as a key predictor for negative outcomes in education, employment, and social success. In one of the schools in my district over 500 kids missed 15 days of school," said Mosley. "Georgia can do better and HB 395 will put some teeth in the law."
"Truancy is one of the early warning signs that youth are headed for delinquent behavior, social isolation, and educational failure. It can also be a risk factor for substance abuse and teen pregnancy. HB 395 sends a strong message to parents who don't care," said Rep Smith.
In conclusion, Speaker Coleman said, "In communities across Georgia crime tends to increase during the day time hours when kids are not in the structured environment and school's could lose much needed money under the No Child Left Behind Act based on truancy rates. This is a very important and I commend these two lawmaker's commitment to improving school attendance."
A sub-committee of the House Education Committee met to discuss HB 395 this week and will continue doing so throughout the interim to perfect the legislation. Other ideas also up for discussion include a $25 fee for each day missed past the limit set by a school or suspension of a student's drivers' license after being absent too many days."
# # # For further information, contact Rep. Mosley @ 404-657-8442