New Hampshire HB 1573: relative to out-of-home placements for children.

Bill Text

HB 1573 - AS AMENDED BY THE SENATE

5Mar2026... 0396h

05/07/2026 1729s

2026 SESSION

 26-2868

 12/06

HOUSE BILL 1573

AN ACT permitting excused absences for student participation in certain activities and mandating the state board of education to grant school reassignment requests for students demonstrating a manifest educational hardship.

SPONSORS: Rep. Thibault, Merr. 25; Rep. Drye, Sull. 7; Rep. Farrington, Straf. 8; Rep. Freeman, Belk. 8; Rep. Harvey-Bolia, Belk. 3; Rep. Litchfield, Rock. 32; Rep. Moffett, Merr. 4; Rep. Wheeler, Hills. 33; Sen. Innis, Dist 7; Sen. Sullivan, Dist 18

COMMITTEE: Education Policy and Administration

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AMENDED ANALYSIS

 This bill:

 I. Permits excused absences for students that are participating in civic engagement activities and career or technical education (CTE) activities so long as parental notice is provided to schools and other requirements are met.

 II. Directs the state board of education to develop rules, a list of recognized CTE organizations, and alternative academic credits relative to participation in civic or CTE activities.

 III. Mandates that the state board of education, on appeal, grant a parent's or guardian's request to re-assign their student to another public school, public academy, or an approved private school where such parent or guardian demonstrates the student has a manifest educational hardship.

 IV. Adds a statutory cross-reference to the exceptions for legal residence requirements relative to school attendance.

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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.

 Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]

 Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

5Mar2026... 0396h

05/07/2026 1729s 26-2868

 12/06

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty-Six

AN ACT permitting excused absences for student participation in certain activities and mandating the state board of education to grant school reassignment requests for students demonstrating a manifest educational hardship.

Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

 1 New Section; Excused Absences for Civic and Career Technical Education Activities. Amend RSA 193 by inserting after section 1-c the following new section: 

 193:1-d Excused Absences for Civic and Career Technical Education Activities. 

 I. Students in public or public charter primary or secondary schools who wish to attend civic events during the school day shall have their school abscences excused.

 II. For the purposes of this section: 

 (a) “Civic event” means: 

 (1) Any event, activity, hearing, or meeting held by a federal, state, county, or local government office, agency, or body; or 

 (2) Any educational program, competition, or award ceremony sponsored or hosted by a patriotic or national organization, listed in 36 U.S.C., Subtitle II, Part B. 

 (b) “Career or technical education event,” or “CTE event,” means:

 (1) State, regional, or national competitions or conferences sponsored by CTE student organizations recognized by the state board of education pursuant to RSA 186:11, XXXVIII; 

 (2) Agricultural fairs where students are exhibiting livestock or project work; or 

 (3) Individual job shadows or workplace observations of no more than one school day per employer.

 III. Schools shall be required to excuse 2 of a student’s school day absences per academic year for civic or CTE events. 

 (a) This paragraph shall not preclude schools from excusing further absences at their own discretion. 

 (b) Participation in activities related to statutory or executive New Hampshire youth advisory councils, either as a member or a guest, shall supersede this paragraph and shall always be excused. 

 (c) Students attending multi-day civics or CTE programs may have absences for such programs excused with proof of attendance. 

 (d) Nothing in this section shall prevent schools from requiring students to complete schoolwork missed due to an excused absence. 

 (e) Except as provided under paragraph III(b), students seeking more than 2 excused absences per academic year for ongoing participation in the same civic or CTE activity shall enroll in an extended learning opportunity. All absences to engage in an extended learning opportunity plan approved by the student’s school shall be excused, contingent on the student completing any schoolwork missed. 

 IV. Schools may require students provide evidence of attendance of the activity they claim participation in to verify the justification of the absence. Such evidence may include: 

 (a) A form created by the school and signed by an official of the activity