Bill > A1146

Introduced Session

This bill would permit any pupil over the age of 14 years of any public school to take an excused absence from school on the day of the general election in this State upon the presentation of documentation proving that the pupil served as a volunteer for election-related activity on the day of the general election. This bill defines "election-related activity" to mean: observing the polling or canvassing process, participating in simulated voting, assisting in the transportation of voters to polling places, or participating in any other activity that has been specifically approved in advance by the board of education governing that public school, as part of a group or a program organized by a recognized nonprofit organization, by a board of education, or by educators within the public educational system of this State, not undertaken directly or indirectly for the benefit or under the auspices of one or more political parties to the exclusion of other political parties, and for which the pupil volunteered and received compensation or reimbursement for expenses no greater than $100. The absence would be granted upon submission of documentation which would include a signature of a person over the age of 18 years who supervised the pupil's activity, the organizers of the activity, a brief description of the nature of the activity, the time during which the pupil took part in the activity, and a certification that the activity was not undertaken directly or indirectly for the benefit of one or more political parties to the exclusion of other political parties. The board of education may deny such excused absences for pupils whose academic achievement is below a level set by the board of education for this purpose. The purpose of this legislation is to promote participation in the election process among young people who are just a few years from becoming eligible to vote, thus fostering their understanding of the importance of voting, of their rights as citizens, and of their civic responsibility.

Committee Categories

Cody Miller (D)*,  Carol Murphy (D)*,  Carmen Morales (D), 

Introduced, Referred to Assembly Education Committee (on 01/09/2024)

Official Document