PRINTER'S NO. 1706
No. 1479 Session of 1991
INTRODUCED BY B. SMITH, DAVIES, BROUJOS, STETLER, FOSTER,
G. SNYDER, NICKOL AND COWELL, MAY 28, 1991
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, MAY 28, 1991
AN ACT
1 Amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), entitled "An
2 act relating to the public school system, including certain
3 provisions applicable as well to private and parochial
4 schools; amending, revising, consolidating and changing the
5 laws relating thereto," further providing for penalties to be
6 imposed on parents of truant children.
7 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
8 hereby enacts as follows:
9 Section 1. Section 1333 of the act of March 10, 1949
10 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949,
11 amended January 14, 1970 (1969 P.L.468, No.192), is amended to
12 read:
13 Section 1333. Penalties for Violation of Compulsory
14 Attendance Requirements.--Every parent, guardian, or person in
15 parental relation, having control or charge of any child or
16 children of compulsory school age, who shall fail to comply with
17 the provisions of this act regarding compulsory attendance,
18 shall on summary conviction thereof, be sentenced to pay a fine,
19 for the benefit of the school district in which such offending
1 person resides, not exceeding [two dollars ($2)] one hundred
2 dollars ($100) for the first offense, and not exceeding [five
3 dollars ($5)] three hundred dollars ($300) for each succeeding
4 offense, together with costs, and[, in default of the payment of
5 such fine and costs by the person so offending, shall] may be
6 sentenced to the county jail for a period not exceeding [five
7 (5)] ninety (90) days. Any person sentenced to pay any such fine
8 may, at any time within five (5) days thereafter, appeal to the
9 court of [quarter sessions] common pleas of the proper county,
10 upon entering into a recognizance, with one or more proper
11 sureties, in double the amount of penalty and costs. Before any
12 proceedings are instituted against any parent, guardian, or
13 person in parental relation, for failure to comply with the
14 provisions of this act, the district superintendent, attendance
15 officer, or secretary of the board of school directors, shall
16 give the offending person three (3) days' written notice of such
17 violation. If, after such notice has been given, the provisions
18 of this act regarding compulsory attendance are again violated
19 by the persons so notified, at any time during the term of
20 compulsory attendance, such person, so again offending, shall be
21 liable under the provisions of this section without further
22 notice.
23 Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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