Delaware 149th General Assembly (2017-2018) Status: In Committee Bipartisan · 5 D · 1 R cosponsors

HB 55 — AN ACT TO AMEND THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO SCHOOL ATTENDANCE.

Last action — Assigned to Appropriations Committee in House

Track this bill free

No card. One bill, free forever — alerts when it moves.

  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. 2
    In Committee
  3. 3
    Passed House
  4. 4
    Passed Senate
  5. 5
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill died with 149th General Assembly (2017-2018). It reached “In Committee” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.

This bill is no longer active — its legislative session has ended, so there is no live prognosis. It would have to be reintroduced in the current session to move again.

Summary

This Act increases the age requirement for compulsory school attendance in Delaware from 16 to 18 years of age. The age increase is phased in over a two-year period; accordingly, there is a one-year interim period where the compulsory school attendance age requirement will be 17 years old. The Act further provides that a child may be exempt from the age requirement for compulsory school attendance if the child has received a high school diploma or a certificate of performance or obtains permission to withdraw from school from the superintendent of the district in which the child is enrolled or from the president of the board of the charter school in which the child is enrolled. To obtain a waiver from the date of enactment of this Act until August 31, 2018, a child must be at least 16 years old. To obtain a waiver on or after September 1, 2018, a child must be at least 17 years old. The Act preserves the exemption under which a child may be excused from compulsory attendance upon request of the child's parent or legal guardian coupled with supporting written documentation from a qualified health professional.

Bill Text

How this bill changes current law

3 changes Share ↗

AI-generated reading aid from the bill's amendatory text — verify against the official bill.

The bill extends the compulsory school attendance age from 16 to 18 in Delaware.

  • § 2702

    between 5 and 16 years of age → between 5 and 18 years of age

    The age range for compulsory school attendance is increased.

  • § 2705

    16 years of age or older → 17 years of age or older

    The minimum age for obtaining a waiver from compulsory attendance is raised.

  • § 2705

    16 years of age → 17 years of age

    The requirement for granting a waiver now applies to children who are at least 17.

Action History

  1. Assigned to Appropriations Committee in House

  2. Reported Out of Committee (Education) in House with 10 On Its Merits

  3. Introduced and Assigned to Education Committee in House

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

Export CSV (upgrade) →

6 sponsors · 5 co-sponsors · 51 not signed on

Sponsors (6)

Co-sponsors (5)

Not signed on (51)

51 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 51 →

"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Subjects

education
Cross-referencing the record. Reading this bill against every other bill in the corpus by meaning, not keywords. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Matching · Ranking · Engrossing

Frequently asked questions

What does HB 55 do?
This Act increases the age requirement for compulsory school attendance in Delaware from 16 to 18 years of age. The age increase is phased in over a two-year period; accordingly, there is a one-year interim period where the compulsory school attendance age requirement will be 17 years old. The Act further provides that a child may be exempt from the age requirement for compulsory school attendance if the child has received a high school diploma or a certificate of performance or obtains permission to withdraw from school from the superintendent of the district in which the child is enrolled or from the president of the board of the charter school in which the child is enrolled. To obtain a waiver from the date of enactment of this Act until August 31, 2018, a child must be at least 16 years old. To obtain a waiver on or after September 1, 2018, a child must be at least 17 years old. The Act preserves the exemption under which a child may be excused from compulsory attendance upon request of the child's parent or legal guardian coupled with supporting written documentation from a qualified health professional.
Who sponsors HB 55?
HB 55 is sponsored by Debra Heffernan (Democratic), David P. Sokola (Democratic), Stephanie T. Bolden (Democratic), Timothy D. Dukes (Republican), Kendra Johnson (Democratic), John L. Mitchell, Valerie Longhurst, Margaret Rose Henry, Helene M. Keeley, and Harris B. McDowell.
What is the current status of HB 55?
This bill died with 149th General Assembly (2017-2018). It reached “In Committee” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.
Where can I track HB 55?
Track HB 55 free on One Click Politics — get push/email alerts when it moves.

Make your voice heard on HB 55

Find the representatives who decide this bill and tell them where you stand — for yourself, or mobilize your whole list in one click with One Click Politics advocacy software.

Find my representatives → Run a campaign

Stay ahead of HB 55

Last checked for changes 2 months ago · updated continuously

One Click Politics tracks every bill in Congress and all 50 states.

Track this bill →