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Senate Bill ("SB") 404 would define a child who is habitually absent from school without good cause to be a "neglected child." A similar bill, HB 2197 is moving through the senate.
Truancy laws are already adequate to handle absence from school and families should not be at risk of having their children taken away just for missing school. This would affect any family that wants to withdraw their child from school immediately but would risk “habitual truancy” if they chose not to abide by the 14 day waiting period in the homeschool law. HSLDA believes that any waiting period is unconstitutional.
Please contact members of both the House and Senate Education Committees and give them the following messages in your own words:
“I am calling to oppose SB 404 (or for the House, HB 2197). SB 404/HB 2197 defines habitual school absences as a form of child neglect. This bill conflates truancy and neglect and allows for parents to be charged with neglect and possibly lose their children just because they are missing school. Truancy issues can often be the result of misunderstandings or miscommunication and escalating the issue to an accusation of neglect is unwarranted. Truancy should not be presumed to be neglect. This bill did not proceed last year after being studied and should not move forward this year. Please vote against SB 404/HB 2197.”
Please contact the members according to your last name below and also your own Delegate or Senator! To find out whom your senator or delegate is you can visit these links:
Find your Senator
Find your Delegate
If your last name begins with A–C, please contact these Delegates concerning HB 2197:
Delegate Mary M. Poling, Chair
Capitol Phone: (304) 340-3265
E-mail: mary.poling@wvhouse.gov
Delegate Josh Stowers, Vice Chair
Capitol Phone: (304) 340-3337
E-mail: josh.stowers@wvhouse.gov
Delegate Amanda Pasdon, Minority Chair
Capitol Phone: (304) 340-3153
E-mail: amanda@amandapasdon.com
Delegate Linda Sumner, Minority Vice Chair
Capitol Phone: (304) 340-3180
E-mail: linda.sumner@wvhouse.gov
Delegate Anthony Barill
Capitol Phone: (304) 340-3173
E-mail: anthony.barill@wvhouse.gov
Delegate Jason Barrett
Capitol Phone: (304) 340-3188
E-mail: jason.barrett@wvhouse.gov
If your last name begins with D–G, please contact these Delegates concerning HB 2197:
Delegate Denise L. Campbell
Capitol Phone: (304) 340-3145
E-mail: denise.campbell@wvhouse.gov
Delegate Ron Fragale
Capitol Phone: (304) 340-3102
E-mail: ron.fragale@wvhouse.gov
Delegate Tiffany Elizabeth Lawrence
Capitol Phone: (304) 340-3152
E-mail: lawrencefordelegate@hotmail.com
Delegate David G. Perry
Capitol Phone: (304) 340-3269
E-mail: d.perry@wvhouse.gov
Delegate Dave Pethtel
Capitol Phone: (304) 340-3158
E-mail: dave.pethtel@wvhouse.gov
Delegate Ted Tomblin
Capitol Phone: (304) 340-3297
E-mail: ted.tomblin@wvhouse.gov
If your last name begins with H–K, please contact these Delegates concerning HB 2197:
Delegate David Walker
Capitol Phone: (304) 340-3135
E-mail: david.walker@wvhouse.gov
Delegate Larry A. Williams
Capitol Phone: (304) 340-3160
E-mail: larry.williams@wvhouse.gov
Delegate Adam R. Young
Capitol Phone: (304) 340-3352
E-mail: adam.young@wvhouse.gov
Delegate George Ambler
Capitol Phone: (304) 340-3129
E-mail: george.ambler@wvhouse.gov
Delegate Jim Butler
Capitol Phone: (304) 340-3199
E-mail: jim.butler@wvhouse.gov
Delegate Roy Cooper
Capitol Phone: (304) 340-3119
E-mail: roy.cooper@wvhouse.gov
If your last name begins with L–O, please contact these Delegates concerning HB 2197:
Delegate Paul Espinosa
Capitol Phone: (304) 340-3130
E-mail: paul.espinosa@wvhouse.gov
Delegate David A. Evans
Capitol Phone: (304) 340-3151
E-mail: david.evans@wvhouse.gov
Delegate Danny Hamrick
Capitol Phone: (304) 340-3141
E-mail: danny.hamrick@wvhouse.gov
Delegate Suzette Raines
Capitol Phone: (304) 340-3340
E-mail: suzette.raines@wvhouse.gov
Delegate Ruth Rowan
Capitol Phone: (304) 340-3157
E-mail: ruth.rowan@wvhouse.gov
Delegate Steve Westfall
Capitol Phone: (304) 340-3140
E-mail: steve.westfall@wvhouse.gov
If your last name begins with P–S, please contact these Senators concerning SB 404:
Senator Robert H. Plymale
Capitol Phone: (304) 357-7937
E-mail: robert.plymale@wvsenate.gov
Senator Erik Wells
Capitol Phone: (304) 357-7841
E-mail: erik.wells@wvsenate.gov
Senator Robert D. Beach
Capitol Phone: (304) 357-7919
E-mail: bob.beach@wvsenate.gov
Senator H. Truman Chafin
Capitol Phone: (304) 357-7808
E-mail: truman.chafin@wvsenate.gov
Senator Larry J. Edgell
Capitol Phone: (304) 357-7827
E-mail: larry.edgell@wvsenate.gov
Senator Daniel J. Hall
Capitol Phone: (304) 357-7807
E-mail: daniel.hall@wvsenate.gov
Senator William R. Laird IV
Capitol Phone: (304) 357-7849
E-mail: william.laird@wvsenate.gov
If your last name begins with T–Z, please contact these Senators concerning SB 404:
Senator Ron Stollings
Capitol Phone: (304) 357-7939
E-mail: ron.stollings@frontier.com
Senator Gregory A. Tucker
Capitol Phone: (304) 357-7906
E-mail: greg.tucker@wvsenate.gov
Senator John R. Unger II
Capitol Phone: (304) 357-7933
E-mail: john.unger@wvsenate.gov
Senator Clark S. Barnes
Capitol Phone: (304) 357-7973
E-mail: clark.barnes@wvsenate.gov
Senator Donna J. Boley
Capitol Phone: (304) 357-7905
E-mail: donnaboley@suddenlink.net
Senator Mitch Carmichael
Capitol Phone: (304) 357-7855
E-mail: Mitch.Carmichael@wvsenate.gov
Senator Bill Cole
Capitol Phone: (304) 357-7843
E-mail: bill.cole@wvsenate.gov
| 3/1/2013 | (Senate) | Introduced and Referred to Education Committee |
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