Bill > HB4656

Introduced Session

A BILL to amend and reenact §18-8-1a, §18-8-2, §18-8-4, §18-8-5, §18-8-6a, §21-6-9, §49-1-202, §49-1-206, §49-4-701, §49-4-702, §49-4-702a, §49-4-711 and §49-4-712 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, relating to chronic absenteeism; providing that the compulsory school attendance requirement ends on the student’s 18th birthday; providing that students with exceptionalities may be required to meet different attendance measures; removing criminal penalties for 18 year old students who are chronically absent; adding definitions for chronically absent or chronic absenteeism, student support specialist and wraparound services; providing that 18 year olds shall receive the same notice of unexcused absences as parents, guardians, and custodians; providing that upon recommendation of the teacher, social worker, or principal, the school may refer the student to the Department of Human Services for wraparound services; providing that a student who is 18 years old and has 10 unexcused absences shall be advised of the consequences of failing to comply with attendance policies; adding coordination of wraparound services Department of Human Services to county attendance director duties; removing obsolete or conflicting statutory language regarding principal, administrative head, or other chief administrator duties and clarifying their duty to ensure compliance with compulsory attendance requirements; providing that if a student who is under 18 years of age is found to be chronically absent, the county prosecutor may petition the circuit court for protection of the student as a child in need of supervision pursuant to juvenile justice provisions; amending legislative appropriation language to match new definitions; removing reference to truancy officers in child labor enforcement section; removing truancy as a status offense and defining child in need of supervision; clarifying that the definition of student support specialist includes the powers and duties of truancy support specialist; replacing references to truancy support specialist with student support specialist; establishing juvenile jurisdiction of circuit courts for juveniles who are chronically absent; providing timeline and parameters for transition from truancy as a status offense to a finding of a child in need of supervision; providing that all remaining truancy status offenses that have not been converted to a petition for protection of a child in need of supervision shall be dismissed, effective July 1, 2027; providing that chronically absent students may be referred to a prepetition diversion program; clarifying the court’s role in monitoring prepetition diversion programs; providing that chronically absent students may be referred noncustodial counseling or community services; removing truancy reference from status offense provisions; clarifying the court’s role in providing intervention on behalf of a child in need of supervision; providing that a child in need of supervision may not be place in out-of-home placement or a Bureau of Juvenile Services facility; and making technical changes throughout.

AI Summary

Committee Categories

Joe Ellington (R)*,  James Akers (R),  Kathie Crouse (R),  Lori Dittman (R),  Mike Hornby (R),  Phil Mallow (R),  David Elliott Pritt (R),  Joe Statler (R),  Chris Toney (R),  Jimmy Willis (R), 

Communicated to Senate (on 02/24/2026)

Official Document