CERTIFICATION OF ENROLLMENT

                        HOUSE BILL 1856

                   Chapter 214, Laws of 2002

                        57th Legislature

                      2002 Regular Session

SCHOOL ABSENCES--SEARCH AND RESCUE ACTIVITIES

                    EFFECTIVE DATE:  6/13/02

Passed by the House March 9, 2002   Yeas 94   Nays 0               FRANK CHOPP Speaker of the House of Representatives Passed by the Senate March 5, 2002   Yeas 48   Nays 0	CERTIFICATE I, Cynthia Zehnder, Chief Clerk of the House of Representatives of the State of Washington, do hereby certify that the attached is HOUSE BILL 1856 as passed by the House of Representatives and the Senate on the dates hereon set forth.            CYNTHIA ZEHNDER                           Chief Clerk
BRAD OWEN President of the Senate

Approved March 28, 2002 Place Style On Codes above, and Style Off Codes below.	FILED                            March 28, 2002 - 8:47 a.m.
GARY LOCKE Governor of the State of Washington	Secretary of State                  State of Washington

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                          HOUSE BILL 1856

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                     AS AMENDED BY THE SENATE

             Passed Legislature - 2002 Regular Session

State of Washington      57th Legislature     2001 Regular Session

By Representatives Morell, O'Brien, Talcott, Miloscia, Quall, Carrell, Rockefeller, Bush, Cox, Pflug, Pearson and Woods

Read first time 02/07/2001.  Referred to Committee on Education.

Excusing student absences for state-recognized search and rescue activities.  

    AN ACT Relating to excused absences from school for search and rescue activities; and adding a new section to chapter 28A.225 RCW.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  A new section is added to chapter 28A.225 RCW to read as follows:

    The legislature finds that state-recognized search and rescue activities, as defined in chapter 38.52 RCW and the rules interpreting the chapter, are recognized as activities deserving of excuse from school.  Therefore, the legislature strongly encourages that excused absences be granted to students for up to five days each year to participate in search and rescue activities, subject to approval by the student's parent and the principal of the student's school, and provided that the activities do not cause a serious adverse effect upon the student's educational progress.

    Passed the House March 9, 2002.

    Passed the Senate March 5, 2002.

Approved by the Governor March 28, 2002.

    Filed in Office of Secretary of State March 28, 2002.