AB 1763 — Pupil attendance: excused absences: religious observance.

Bill20250AB__176397CHP Text97 -INTRODUCED AB-17632026-02-09 PupilPASSED_ASSEMBLY attendance:2026-05-21 PASSED_SENATE 2026-08-25 ENROLLED 2026-08-30 CHAPTERED 2026-09-30 APPROVED 2026-09-30 FILED 2026-09-30 2025 0 AB 1763 CHP 2026 CHP 0 893 Introduced by Assembly Member Lee (Coauthor:

Assembly Member Zbur) LEAD_AUTHOR ASSEMBLY Lee COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Zbur An act to amend Section 48205 of the Education Code, relating to pupil attendance.

pupil attendance Pupil attendance:

skipExisting law, notwithstanding the requirement that each person between 6 and 18 years of age who is not otherwise exempted is subject to contentcompulsory homefull-time accessibilityeducation, FAQrequires feedbacka sitemappupil loginto xbe Quickexcused Search:from school for specified types of absences, including, among others, for justifiable personal reasons when the pupil’s absence is requested in writing by the parent or guardian and approved by the principal or a designated representative, as provided.

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02/09/26This -bill Introducedwould AB-1763include Pupilobservance attendance:of a holiday or ceremony of the pupil’s religion as a type of required excused absence without the requirement that the absence be requested in writing by the parent or guardian and approved by the principal or a designated representative.

excusedTo absences:the extent that this bill would impose additional duties on local educational agencies, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.

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DateStatutory Published:provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.

02/09/2026This 09:00bill PMwould AB1763:v99#DOCUMENTBillprovide Startthat, Revisedif  March 19, 2026the CALIFORNIACommission LEGISLATURE—on 2025–2026State REGULARMandates SESSIONdetermines Assemblythat Billthe No.bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.

1763IntroducedMAJORITY byNO AssemblyYES MemberYES Lee(Coauthor:NO NO NO NO NO NO NO The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

AssemblySECTION Member1. Zbur)February 09, 2026 An act to amend Section 48205 of the Education Code, relating to pupil attendance.

LEGISLATIVESection COUNSEL'S48205 DIGESTABof 1763,the asEducation introduced,Code Lee.is amended to read:

Pupil48205. attendance:

(a) Notwithstanding Section 48200, a pupil shall be excused absences:from school when the absence is:

religious(1) observance.ExistingDue law,to notwithstanding the requirementpupil’s thatillness, eachincluding personan betweenabsence 6 and 18 years of age who is not otherwise exempted is subject to compulsory full-time education, requires a pupil to be excused from school for specifiedthe typesbenefit of absences, including, among others, for justifiable personal reasons when the pupil’s absencemental is requested in writing by the parent or guardianbehavioral andhealth. approved by the principal or a designated representative, as provided.

Existing(2) lawDue specifiesto thatquarantine aunder justifiable personal reason includes observance of a holiday or ceremony of the pupil’sdirection religion.This bill would include observance of a holidaycounty or ceremonycity ofhealth theofficer. pupil’s religion as a type of required excused absence without the requirement that the absence be requested in writing by the parent or guardian and approved by the principal or a designated representative.

To(3) theFor extentpurposes thatof thishaving billmedical, woulddental, imposeoptometrical, additionalor dutieschiropractic onservices localrendered. educational agencies, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state.

Statutory(4) provisionsFor establishpurposes proceduresof forattending makingthe thatfuneral reimbursement.Thisservices billor wouldgrieving providethe that,death ifof either a member of the Commissionpupil’s onimmediate Statefamily, Mandatesor determinesof a person that is determined by the billpupil’s containsparent costsor mandatedguardian byto thebe state,in reimbursementsuch forclose thoseassociation costswith shallthe pupil as to be madeconsidered pursuantthe topupil’s immediate family, so long as the statutoryabsence provisionsis notednot above.Digestmore Keythan Vote:five days per incident.

MAJORITY  (5) Appropriation:For purposes of jury duty in the manner provided for by law.

NO  (6) FiscalDue Committee:to the illness or medical appointment during school hours of a child of whom the pupil is the custodial parent, including absences to care for a sick child, for which the school shall not require a note from a doctor.

YES  (7) LocalFor Program:justifiable personal reasons, including, but not limited to, an attendance or appearance in court, attendance at a funeral service, attendance at a religious retreat, attendance at an employment conference, or attendance at an educational conference on the legislative or judicial process offered by a nonprofit organization, when the pupil’s absence is requested in writing by the parent or guardian and approved by the principal or a designated representative pursuant to uniform standards established by the governing board of the school district.

YES  Bill(8) TextTheFor people of the State of California do enact as follows:SECTION 1. Section 48205 of the Education Code is amended to read:48205. (a) Notwithstanding Section 48200, a pupil shall be excused from school when the absence is:(1) Due to the pupil’s illness, including an absence for the benefit of the pupil’s mental or behavioral health.(2) Due to quarantine under the direction of a county or city health officer.(3) For purposes of having medical, dental, optometrical, or chiropractic services rendered.(4) For purposes of attending the funeral services or grieving the death of either a member of the pupil’s immediate family, or of a person that is determined by the pupil’s parent or guardian to be in such close association with the pupil as to be considered the pupil’s immediate family, so long as the absence is not more than five days per incident.(5) For purposes of jury duty in the manner provided for by law.(6) Due to the illness or medical appointment during school hours of a child of whom the pupil is the custodial parent, including absences to care for a sick child, for which the school shall not require a note from a doctor.(7) For justifiable personal reasons, including, but not limited to, an attendance or appearance in court, attendance at a funeral service, observance of a holiday or ceremony of the pupil’s religion, attendance at a religious retreat, attendance at an employment conference, or attendance at an educational conference on the legislative or judicial process offered by a nonprofit organization, when the pupil’s absence is requested in writing by the parent or guardian and approved by the principal or a designated representative pursuant to uniform standards established by the governing board of the school district.(8) For the observance of a holiday or ceremony of the pupil’s religion.

(8)(9) For(9) For purposes of serving as a member of a precinct board for an election pursuant to Section 12302 of the Elections Code.(9)(10) ForCode. purposes of spending time with a member of the pupil’s immediate family who is an active duty member of the uniformed services, as defined in Section 49701, and has been called to duty for, is on leave from, or has immediately returned from, deployment.

Absences(10) grantedFor pursuant to this paragraph shall be granted for a period of time to be determined at the discretion of the superintendent of the school district.(10)(11) For purposes of attendingspending thetime pupil’swith naturalization ceremony to become a United States citizen.(11)(12) For purposes of participating in a cultural ceremony or event.(12)(13) (A) For purposes of a middle school or high school pupil engaging in a civic or political event, as provided in subparagraph (B), provided that the pupil notifies the school ahead of the absence.(B) (i) A middle school or high school pupil who is absent pursuant to subparagraph (A) is required to be excused for only one schoolday-long absence per school year.(ii) A middle school or high school pupil who is absent pursuant to subparagraph (A) may be permitted additional excused absences in the discretion of a school administrator, as described in subdivision (c) of Section 48260.(13)(14) (A) For any of the purposes described in clauses (i) to (iii), inclusive, if an immediate family member of the pupil, or a person that is determined by the pupil’s parent or guardian to be in such close association with the pupil as to be considered the pupil’s immediate family,family haswho died, so long as the absence is not more than three days per incident.(i) To access services from a victim services organization or agency.(ii) To access grief support services.(iii) To participate in safety planning or to take other actions to increase the safety of the pupil or an immediateactive familyduty member of the pupil,uniformed orservices, a person that is determined by the pupil’s parent or guardian to be in such close association with the pupil as todefined be considered the pupil’s immediate family, including, but not limited to, temporary or permanent relocation.(B) Any absences beyond three days for the reasons described in subparagraph (A) shall be subject to the discretion of the school administrator, or their designee, pursuant to Section 48260.(14)(15) Due49701, toand thehas pupil’sbeen participationcalled in military entrance processing.(15)(16) Authorized at the discretion of a school administrator, as described in subdivision (c) of Section 48260.(b) A pupil absent from school pursuant to thisduty sectionfor, shallis beon allowedleave tofrom, completeor allhas assignmentsimmediately andreturned testsfrom, misseddeployment. during the absence that can be reasonably provided and, upon satisfactory completion within a reasonable period of time, shall be given full credit for those assignments and tests.

TheAbsences teachergranted of the class from which a pupil is absent shall determine which tests and assignments shall be reasonably equivalent to, but not necessarily identical to, the tests and assignments that the pupil missed during the absence.(c) For purposes of this section, attendance at religious retreats shall not exceed one schoolday per semester.(d) Absences pursuant to this sectionparagraph areshall deemed to be absencesgranted infor computinga averageperiod daily attendance and shall not generate state apportionment payments.(e) For purposes of thistime section, the following definitions apply:(1) A “civic or political event” includes, but is not limited to, voting, poll working, strikes, public commenting, candidate speeches, political or civic forums, and town halls.(2) “Cultural” means relating to thebe practices,determined habits,at beliefs, and traditions of a certain group of people.(3) “Immediate family” means the parentdiscretion or guardian, brother or sister, grandparent, or any other relative living in the household of the pupil.(4) “Victimsuperintendent services organization or agency” has the same meaning as defined in subdivision (j) of Section 12945.8 of the Governmentschool Code.SEC.district.

2. If(11) theFor Commissionpurposes onof Stateattending Mandates determines that this act contains costs mandated by the state,pupil’s reimbursementnaturalization toceremony local agencies and school districts for those costs shall be made pursuant to Partbecome 7a (commencingUnited withStates Sectioncitizen. 17500) of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Government Code.___________________ REVISIONS:

Heading—Line(12) 2.___________________For purposes of participating in a cultural ceremony or event.

(13) (A) For purposes of a middle school or high school pupil engaging in a civic or political event, as provided in subparagraph (B), provided that the pupil notifies the school ahead of the absence.

(B) (i) A middle school or high school pupil who is absent pursuant to subparagraph (A) is required to be excused for only one schoolday-long absence per school year.

(ii) A middle school or high school pupil who is absent pursuant to subparagraph (A) may be permitted additional excused absences in the discretion of a school administrator, as described in subdivision (c) of Section 48260.

(14) (A) For any of the purposes described in clauses (i) to (iii), inclusive, if an immediate family member of the pupil, or a person that is determined by the pupil’s parent or guardian to be in such close association with the pupil as to be considered the pupil’s immediate family, has died, so long as the absence is not more than three days per incident.

(i) To access services from a victim services organization or agency.

(ii) To access grief support services.

(iii) To participate in safety planning or to take other actions to increase the safety of the pupil or an immediate family member of the pupil, or a person that is determined by the pupil’s parent or guardian to be in such close association with the pupil as to be considered the pupil’s immediate family, including, but not limited to, temporary or permanent relocation.

(B) Any absences beyond three days for the reasons described in subparagraph (A) shall be subject to the discretion of the school administrator, or their designee, pursuant to Section 48260.

(15) Due to the pupil’s participation in military entrance processing.

(16) Authorized at the discretion of a school administrator, as described in subdivision (c) of Section 48260.

(b) A pupil absent from school pursuant to this section shall be allowed to complete all assignments and tests missed during the absence that can be reasonably provided and, upon satisfactory completion within a reasonable period of time, shall be given full credit for those assignments and tests.

The teacher of the class from which a pupil is absent shall determine which tests and assignments shall be reasonably equivalent to, but not necessarily identical to, the tests and assignments that the pupil missed during the absence.