An Act to Promote Student Attendance in Schools by Requiring the
Maine Legislature, Session 132, LD 0322
Sponsors: BRENNAN, ROTUNDO
Amends: 20-A MRSA §3272, 20-A MRSA §3273, 20-A MRSA §5001-A, 20-A MRSA §5401, 20-A MRSA §6810, 22 MRSA §4002

Legislative Document
No. 322
H.P. 222
House of Representatives, February 3, 2025
An Act to Promote Student Attendance in Schools by Requiring the 
Commissioner of Education to Implement School Attendance Best 
Practices
Received by the Clerk of the House on January 30, 2025.  Referred to the Committee on 
Education and Cultural Affairs pursuant to Joint Rule 308.2 and ordered printed pursuant to 
Joint Rule 401.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative BRENNAN of Portland.
Cosponsored by Senator ROTUNDO of Androscoggin and
Representatives: CLOUTIER of Lewiston, DODGE of Belfast, GATTINE of Westbrook, 
GRAMLICH of Old Orchard Beach, MURPHY of Scarborough, SARGENT of York, 
STOVER of Boothbay, Senator: RENY of Lincoln.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  20-A MRSA §3272, as amended by PL 2021, c. 25, §1, is repealed.
Sec. 2.  20-A MRSA §3273, as amended by PL 2011, c. 614, §11, is repealed.
Sec. 3.  20-A MRSA §5001-A, sub-§1-B is enacted to read:
1-B.  Rulemaking.  To encourage and increase attendance, the commissioner shall 
adopt rules to implement best practices to increase school attendance.  Rules adopted 
pursuant to this subsection are major substantive rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, 
subchapter 2-A.
Sec. 4.  20-A MRSA c. 211, sub-c. 2, as amended, is repealed.
Sec. 5.  20-A MRSA §5401, sub-§7, as enacted by PL 1981, c. 693, §§5 and 8, is 
amended to read:
7.  Remote location.  If a student resides in a location remote from and inaccessible to 
schools or public highways, the student's parents shall be responsible for providing 
transportation to a public highway or paying board for the student within walking distance 
of a school.  Failure of the parent to provide transportation or board shall be considered a 
violation of the truancy law.
Sec. 6.  20-A MRSA §6810, as amended by PL 2003, c. 533, §6, is repealed.
Sec. 7.  22 MRSA §4002, sub-§1, as amended by PL 2021, c. 176, §1, is further 
amended to read:
1.  Abuse or neglect.  "Abuse or neglect" means a threat to a child's health or welfare 
by physical, mental or emotional injury or impairment, sexual abuse or exploitation 
including under Title 17‑A, sections 282, 852, 853 and 855 or deprivation of essential 
needs, or lack of protection from these, by a person responsible for the child.  "Abuse or 
neglect" also means truancy under Title 20‑A, section 3272, subsection 2, paragraph C or 
section 5051‑A, subsection 1, paragraph C or D when truancy is the result of neglect by a 
person responsible for the child.  "Abuse or neglect" also means a threat to a child's health 
or welfare caused by child sex trafficking by any person, regardless of whether or not the 
person is responsible for the child.
Sec. 8.  22 MRSA §4002, sub-§6, ¶B-2, as enacted by PL 2021, c. 176, §4, is 
repealed.
Sec. 9.  Contingent effective date. Those sections of this Act that repeal the Maine 
Revised Statutes, Title 20-A, sections 3272, 3273 and 6810 and chapter 211, subchapter 2 
and Title 22, section 4002, subsection 6, paragraph B-2 and that amend Title 20-A, section 
5401, subsection 7 and Title 22, section 4002, subsection 1 do not take effect until:
1.  The Commissioner of Education finally adopts rules pursuant to Title 20-A, section 
5001-A, subsection 1-B; and
2.  The Commissioner of Education notifies the Secretary of the Senate, the Clerk of 
the House of Representatives and the Revisor of Statutes that the rules have been finally 
adopted.
SUMMARY
This bill repeals laws related to truancy.  The bill instead requires the Commissioner 
of Education to adopt major substantive rules to implement best practices to increase school 
attendance. The sections of this bill that repeal the laws related to truancy do not go into 
effect until the Commissioner of Education finally adopts the rules to implement best 
practices to increase school attendance.