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SD 213

An Act relative to student absences based on religiously held beliefs

194th Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by Bruce Tarr

Protects students from punishment for absences tied to observing a meaningfully held religious belief, ensuring attendance policies cannot penalize religious observances.

House concurred
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Bill Summary · SD 213

Summary: An Act relative to student absences based on religiously held beliefs (SD 213)

Basic bill information

  • Bill number: SD 213 (Senate Docket No. 213)
  • Title: An Act relative to student absences based on religiously held beliefs
  • Status: House concurred
  • Introduced: February 27, 2025
  • Committee actions: Referred to the Committee on Education (February 27, 2025); House concurrence occurred (February 27, 2025)

Purpose and intent

The bill seeks to protect students from punishment for absences that result from observing meaningfully held religious beliefs. It adds a protection to ensure that religious observances are not treated as punishable absences under school attendance policies.

Key provisions

  • Amendment to Chapter 71: The bill inserts a new provision at the end of Chapter 71 of the General Laws.
  • Core language:
    “Notwithstanding section 31A, no student shall be punished for an absence when such absence is the result of the observance of a meaningfully held religious belief.”
    • This establishes that religious observance-related absences cannot be penalized by schools, even if other attendance or disciplinary provisions would otherwise apply under Section 31A.
  • Effective date: The act takes effect upon passage.

Who is affected

  • Students: Those in Massachusetts public schools governed by Chapter 71 attendance rules.
  • School administrators and districts: Responsible for applying attendance policies; must ensure that absences for religious observances are not punished.
  • Families/guardians: Beneficiaries of protections for religious observances in attendance.

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • Current status: The bill has been concurred by the House, indicating alignment between the Senate and House on the measure, with the next step typically being final enactment and submission to the Governor for signature (subject to passage and gubernatorial approval).
  • Key dates in the record:
    • Filed/introduced: January 9, 2025 (Senate filing) with the accompanying petition in February 2025.
    • Referred to Education: February 27, 2025.
    • House concurred: February 27, 2025.
  • Enactment path: Upon passage by both branches and signature (if and when presented to the Governor), the statute would become law.

Potential impact and considerations

  • Impact on attendance policies: Schools will need to ensure that absences tied to religious observances are not treated as punishable, potentially requiring accommodations within attendance records and reporting.
  • Definition and interpretation: The standard of a “meaningfully held religious belief” may require guidance to determine which absences qualify, and how to document them consistently.
  • Relation to existing law: The protection overrides penalties that might otherwise be imposed under Section 31A, reinforcing religious accommodation in attendance decisions.

This summary captures the bill’s core purpose, provisions, affected parties, and the key procedural milestones to date.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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