HB 2266

House Engrossed
school attendance
  requirements; religious purposes
State of Arizona
House of Representatives
Fifty-seventh Legislature
Second Regular Session
2026
HOUSE BILL 2266
AN
ACT
amending section 15-806, Arizona
Revised Statutes; relating to school attendance requirements.
(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:
Section 1. Section 15-806, Arizona Revised
Statutes, is amended to read:
START_STATUTE15-806. Policies; excuse from school attendance
A. The governing board of each school district and
the governing body of each charter school shall adopt a policy governing
the excuse of pupils for religious purposes.� The policy may permit a pupil
that allows students to be excused from school attendance
for religious purposes, including participation in religious exercises or
religious instruction.� If the policy permits a pupil to be
excused for religious purposes, The policy shall must stipulate the conditions under which the excuse will be
granted, . These conditions
shall include including at least the following conditions:
1. The person who has custody of the pupil student has given written consent.
2. Any religious instruction or exercise takes place
at a suitable place away from school property designated by the church or religious
denomination or group.
B. The governing board of each school district and
the governing body of each charter school shall adopt a policy governing the
excuse of pupils students from
school attendance. The policy shall must require the school district to apply to the department of
education for authorization of school closure for the following reasons:
1. Widespread illness for any period of three
consecutive days or more.
2. Adverse weather conditions for any period of
three consecutive days or more.
3. Concerted refusal by students to attend classes
for any period of three consecutive days or more.
4. Threats of violence against school property,
school personnel or pupils students
for any period of one day or more.
5. Situations affecting the safety of persons or
property resulting from fire, flooding or floodwater, an earthquake, a
hazardous material event or another cause if approved by the department of
education. END_STATUTE