Bill > AB461

This bill proposes to repeal Section 270.1 of the California Penal Code, which currently makes parents or guardians criminally liable for their child's chronic truancy. Under existing law, parents of children between 6 and 18 years old who are subject to compulsory education could be charged with a misdemeanor if their child is a chronic truant (repeatedly absent from school), even after being offered support services to address the truancy. The bill would eliminate the criminal penalty, which previously could result in a fine of up to $2,000, imprisonment in county jail for up to one year, or both. The bill is named the "More Help Not Less Act of 2025", suggesting a shift towards addressing truancy through supportive interventions rather than criminal punishment. By removing the criminal offense, the legislation aims to reduce the legal consequences for parents while potentially encouraging alternative approaches to improving student attendance.

Budget and Finance, Health and Social Services, Justice

https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billStatusClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260AB461