SB162 List of Supporters

The Bi-partisan support for this legislation, the original language put forth by Rep. Arthur O'Neill, is growing.

Legislators now signed on as co-sponsors to this bill are:

Sen. Edith G. Prague, 19th Dist.
Rep. Vincent J. Candelora, 86th Dist.
Rep. Arthur J. O'Neill, 69th Dist.
Rep. Pamela Z. Sawyer, 55th Dist.
Rep. Richard F. Ferrari, 62nd Dist.
Rep. Ruth C. Fahrbach, 61st Dist.
Rep. Al Adinolfi, 103rd Dist.
Sen. Robert J. Kane, 32nd Dist.
Rep. Patricia M. Widlitz, 98th Dist.
Sen. Dan Debicella, 21st Dist.
Rep. Anne L. Ruwet, 65th Dist.
Rep. Richard Roy, 119th Dist.
Rep. Lawrence G. Miller, 122nd Dist.
Rep. Elizabeth B. Ritter, 38th Dist.
Rep. Shawn T. Johnston, 51st Dist.
Rep. Deborah W. Heinrich, 101st Dist.
Rep. Anthony J. D'Amelio, 71st Dist.
Rep. Jason W. Bartlett, 2nd Dist.
Rep. Ron Burns, 77th Dist.
Rep. Ed Jutila, 37th Dist.
Sen. Joan V. Hartley, 15th Dist.
Rep. Mike Alberts, 50th Dist.
Rep. David Aldarondo, 75th Dist.
Sen. Andrea L. Stillman, 20th Dist.
Rep. Karen Jarmoc, 59th Dist.
Sen. Anthony Guglielmo, 35th Dist.
Rep. Kathleen M. Tallarita, 58th Dist.
Sen. Edward Meyer, 12th Dist.
Sen. Sam S.F. Caligiuri, 16th Dist.
Rep. Jack F. Hennessy, 127th Dist.

Is YOUR legislator on the list?

and of course the legislators who passed it unanimously out of the Children's Committee were:

Sen. Meyer
Rep. McMahon
Sen. Harp
Rep. Mioli
Sen. Freedman
Rep. Ruwet
Rep. Giuliano
Rep. Mushinsky
Rep. Thompson, J.
(Rep Truglia was absent).

We, and our members, have also heard from other legislators who plan to support this bill as it is currently written, and these are just a few:

Sen. Sam Caligiuri
Rep. Kevin Witkos
Rep. Sandy Nafis
Rep. Jarmoc
Rep. Kalinowski
Rep. Hamm
Rep. Shoenfield

If you have heard from your legislators and they are not on this list we'd like to know about it - Thanks!

We want the Chairs of the Education Committee to put this bill on their agenda and vote it out of their committee as is and with no changes.

Judy Aron and Liz DePalma spoke to Speaker of the House, Jim Amann, the other day, face to face, and he asked us what the hold-up was on this bill. Maybe Senator Gaffey and Rep. Fleischmann have some answers for him.

The deadline is March 19th to get this bill out of committee. Additionally, many parents and legislators have already voiced their objection regarding any changes to this language as originally put forth by Rep. Arthur O'Neill. The bill's language is simple and clear - school districts MUST ACCEPT the withdrawal when parents give the school notice to do so.

Here is what the bill says:

when a parent or guardian of a child provides by certified mail, return receipt requested, to the principal of the school that the child attends, to the superintendent of schools for the school district in which such school is located or the local or regional board of education for such school district, written notice originated by and signed by the parent or guardian of the child stating that the parent or guardian is withdrawing the child from enrollment in a public school and will provide instruction for the child as required pursuant to section 10-184, the principal of the school that the child attends, the superintendent and the local or regional board of education shall accept such notice and shall deem the child withdrawn from enrollment in the public school immediately upon receipt of such notice;