After rising public concern over the application of Texas truancy laws, Governor Greg Abbott signed a bill that would decriminalize truancy and reduce the cost of associated fines across the state.

Now, school districts and courts across Montgomery County are reworking policies and procedures to comply with the newly signed bill from the state Legislature that decriminalizes truancy and becomes effective Sept. 1.

“The sessions ends, and all of a sudden, there’s a whole bunch of bills out here. One of our challenges is to understand what all of these bills say,” said Conroe Independent School District Superintendent Don Stockton.

Once instituted, children will no longer be charged with the Class C misdemeanor of failure to attend school when a certain number of absences is reached. A civil offense called truant conduct would be filed instead of a criminal charge. click here for complete story