NM HB218

Amends the Attendance for Success Act to require local school boards and charter/private school governing bodies to report excessively absent students to the juvenile probation services office within ten school days of identification

Juvenile probation services office must investigate whether the excessively absent student is a neglected child or a child in a family in need of services under the Children's Code

Children's court may suspend an excessively absent student's driving privileges for up to 90 days for a first finding or up to one year for subsequent findings

Creates a new petty misdemeanor offense for parents who cause or allow continued student absences after a report is made to juvenile probation services, with first offense fines of $50-$100 (or community service) and subsequent offenses carrying fines up to $500 and/or up to six months imprisonment

School boards must refer violating parents to the local district attorney for prosecution after consultation with school administrators