Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session

Massachusetts House Bill H713 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	1 of 1
2	2	HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 719 FILED ON: 1/12/2025
3	3	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 713
4	4	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
5	5	_________________
6	6	PRESENTED BY:
7	7	Kenneth P. Sweezey
8	8	_________________
9	9	To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
10	10	Court assembled:
11	11	The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
12	12	An Act relative to supporting student participation in 4-H programs.
13	13	_______________
14	14	PETITION OF:
15	15	NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Kenneth P. Sweezey6th Plymouth1/12/2025Steven J. Ouellette8th Bristol1/13/2025Adrianne Pusateri Ramos14th Essex3/7/2025Todd M. Smola1st Hampden3/12/2025 1 of 2
16	16	HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 719 FILED ON: 1/12/2025
17	17	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 713
18	18	By Representative Sweezey of Duxbury, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 713) of
19	19	Kenneth P. Sweezey, Steven J. Ouellette and Adrianne Pusateri Ramos relative to student
20	20	participation in 4-H programs. Education.
21	21	[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
22	22	SEE HOUSE, NO. 4427 OF 2023-2024.]
23	23	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
24	24	_______________
25	25	In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
26	26	(2025-2026)
27	27	_______________
28	28	An Act relative to supporting student participation in 4-H programs.
29	29	Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
30	30	of the same, as follows:
31	31	1 SECTION 1. Chapter 76 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022 Official Edition,
32	32	2is hereby amended by adding the following section:-
33	33	3 Section 22. (a) A student who participates in an activity or program sponsored by
34	34	4Massachusetts 4-H shall be credited as present, for a maximum of 5 school days, by the school in
35	35	5which the student is enrolled in the same manner as an educational field trip. A school committee
36	36	6shall not count a student absent, for a maximum of 5 school days, for participating in an activity
37	37	7or program sponsored by Massachusetts 4-H. 2 of 2
38	38	8 (b) Upon request from a school committee, a Massachusetts 4-H agent shall provide
39	39	9documentation as proof of a student's participation in an activity or program sponsored by
40	40	10Massachusetts 4-H.
41	41	11 (c) A school committee shall ensure that a student has the opportunity to make up any
42	42	12school work missed while the student was participating in an activity or program sponsored by
43	43	13Massachusetts 4-H. A school committee shall ensure that a student's class grades are not
44	44	14adversely affected for lack of attendance or participation due to the student's participation in an
45	45	15activity or program sponsored by Massachusetts 4-H.
46	46	16 (d) Notwithstanding subsection (a), a school committee shall not credit a student who
47	47	17participates in an activity or program sponsored by Massachusetts 4-H as present if the student's
48	48	18participation occurs during:
49	49	19 (1) The schedule established by the commissioner of education for the administration of
50	50	20the Massachusetts comprehensive assessment system tests; or
51	51	21 (2) Any period of time for which the student has been suspended or expelled, if the
52	52	22student's suspension or expulsion would otherwise preclude the student from participating in an
53	53	23educational field trip.
54	54	24 SECTION 2. This act shall take effect as of the 2025-2026 academic year.