ASSEMBLY, No. 322

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 1996 SESSION

By Assemblymen PASCRELL and ROCCO

An Act concerning pupil truancy and amending N.J.S.18A:38-31.

    Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

    1. N.J.S.18A:38-31 is amended to read as follows:

    18A:38-31. A parent, guardian or other person having charge and control of a child between the ages of six and 16 years, who [shall fail] fails to comply with any of the provisions of this article relating to his duties, [shall be deemed to be a disorderly person and shall be subject to a fine of not more than $25.00 for a first offense and not more than $100.00 for each subsequent offense, in the discretion of the court.]commits a petty disorderly persons offense. The court may infer that a parent, guardian or other person having charge and control of a child is in violation of this section if the child has 10 or more unexcused absences in a school year.

    In any such proceeding, the summons issuing therein, or in special circumstances a warrant, shall be directed to the alleged disorderly person and the child.

(cf: P.L.1980, c.153, s.1)

    2. This act shall take effect immediately.

Increases the penalty for failure by a parent to ensure that a child attends school.