Floor Amend 1 AM 49 0293 to SB 552

LOST Senators Kemp of the 38th, Wicks of the 34th, and Howard of the 35th offered the following amendment #1: Amend SB 552 (LC 49 2643) by replacing lines 1 and 2 with the following: To amend Part 1 of Article 16 of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to school attendance, so as to provide for equal access By inserting "to require the local governing body for each school system and public school to adopt a policy providing that students shall be granted not less than one excused absence per school year for attending or participating in a civic or political event;" after "definitions;" on line 7. By replacing lines 14 through 16 with the following: Part 1 of Article 16 of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to school attendance, is amended in Subpart 2A, relating to clubs and organizations, by adding a new Code section to read as follows: By inserting between lines 83 and 84 the following: Said part is further amended in Subpart 2, relating to compulsory attendance relative to elementary and secondary school students, by adding a new Code section to read as follows: "20-2-692.5. (a) As used in this Code section, the term 'civic or political event' means a strike, public comment, candidate speech, political or civil forum, town hall, protest, or similar event. (b) The governing body of each local school system and public school shall adopt a policy providing that a student shall be granted not less than one excused absence per school year for attending or participating in a civic or political event. Such policy shall provide for: (1) Notification by the parent or guardian of a student, or the student if he or she is 18 years of age or older or is an emancipated minor, to the local school system or public school that such student will be absent due to attendance at or participation in a civic or political event, which shall be provided not less than one school day prior to the absence; and (2) Documentation of absences excused in accordance with this Code section." SECTION 4. By redesignating Section 4 as Section 5.