Bill
S 399
Repeals Section 121 of Chapter 5 of the 1995 Acts (as amended by 2014), removing a school-attendance rule to promote equity in attendance requirements.
Status summary
- Bill number: S.399 (also referenced as amended version S.399A)
- Introduced / filed: Filed 01/16/2025; introduced in Senate 02/04/2025
- Current procedural status (as provided): Committed to Rules (06/13/2025). Amended on third reading as 399A (06/09/2025). Hearing scheduled 07/08/2025 (1:00–5:00 PM, B‑2). Reported favorably by committee and referred to Senate Ways & Means (09/22/2025) per the provided actions.
- Sponsor (MA): Senator Jason M. Lewis (Fifth Middlesex). Petition lists additional co‑petitions for consideration in the education context.
Important note about the record you provided
- The metadata you supplied contains conflicting and extraneous material (a PDF data dump, a different bill title at the very top about “pistol converters,” and sponsor lists that appear to mix federal and other-state legislators). The official bill text included in your packet, and the bill caption that follows it, indicate this is a Massachusetts bill titled “An Act to promote equity in school attendance requirements.” This summary follows that Massachusetts bill text.
Purpose and intent
- The stated purpose (from the bill caption) is to “promote equity in school attendance requirements.” The bill’s single operative change as provided is to repeal a specific statutory provision: Section 121 of chapter 5 of the Acts of 1995 as amended by sections 30 and 31 of chapter 158 of the Acts of 2014.
Key provision(s)
- Repeal: The bill would repeal “Section 121 of chapter 5 of the acts of 1995 as amended by sections 30 and 31 of chapter 158 of the acts of 2014.”
- The text of the bill is limited to that repeal; no replacement language, new definitions, or implementing provisions are included in the provided text.
Who would be affected
- Students and families: Any students whose attendance status, exemptions, or related processes are governed by the repealed statutory provision.
- School districts and charter schools: Local education authorities that administer attendance policies and related recordkeeping/enforcement practices referenced by the repealed provision.
- Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE): If the repealed provision currently directs DESE policies or reporting requirements, DESE operations and guidance could be affected.
- Municipalities and practitioners (e.g., truancy officers, school administrators): Entities responsible for enforcing or acting under the repealed statute.
Likely impacts and uncertainties
- Direct effect depends entirely on the content of the repealed section. Because the bill removes an existing statutory provision without specifying replacement language in the provided text, the practical impact could range from:
- Eliminating a specific attendance rule, exemption, reporting or enforcement mechanism (potentially increasing or decreasing local discretion); to
- Creating a statutory gap that would require administrative guidance or further legislation to clarify state attendance requirements.
- Fiscal impact: Not specified. Impacts on local school budgets, administrative burden, or state-level compliance costs would depend on what the repealed section required.
Procedural and timeline notes
- The bill has progressed through introductory steps and committee referrals and was amended on third reading (S.399A). It was “committed to rules,” which typically signals placement for final scheduling or further consideration on the Senate calendar. A committee hearing was scheduled (07/08/2025) per the record you provided.
- Because the bill performs a repeal only, any near‑term implementation questions would likely be resolved through DESE guidance or follow‑on legislative amendments.
Recommendation for readers
- To understand the full substantive effect, review the exact text of:
- Section 121 of chapter 5 of the Acts of 1995 as originally enacted, and
- The amendments to that section made by sections 30 and 31 of chapter 158 of the Acts of 2014.
- Consult the Massachusetts Legislature’s official bill page for S.399 / S.399A and any committee reports, fiscal notes, or explanatory memoranda that accompany the bill for additional detail and legislative intent.
If you want, I can:
- Search for and summarize the text of the specific statutory provision being repealed (Section 121, ch. 5 of the Acts of 1995 as amended) and explain precisely what would change; or
- Produce a short memo on likely policy implications based on common attendance statutes (e.g., excused/unexcused absences, truancy interventions, documentation requirements).
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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