HB1393--RELEASEDTIMECOURSES
SPONSOR: Hurlbert
Thisbillcreatesthe"MissouriReleasedTimeEducationAct".The
billdefines"releasedtimecourse"asacourseinreligious
instructiontaughtbyanindependentsponsoringentitythata
studentisexcusedfromschooltoattend,andrequiresschool
districtstoadoptapolicytoexcuseastudentfromschoolto
attendareleasedtimecourse.
Uponparentrequest,schoolswillexcuseastudenttoattenda
releasedtimecourseforatleast1hourperweekbutnotmorethan
5hoursifspecifiedconditionsoutlinedinthebillaremet.
Attendanceforareleasedtimecoursewillbeexcusedandnotcount
againstaschoolforstateaidpurposesorthestudentfor
attendancerequirements.
Schooldistrictswilladoptapolicythatawardscreditforthe
completionofareleasedtimecourseandrecognizethecredits
awardedbyanaccreditedproviderofsuchcourses. Suchcredit
willbeawardedbasedoncriteriawithinthebillonaneutral
basis,andthebilloutlinesacauseforcivilactionforany
violation.