Connecticut Homeschooling Bill Rewritten for House Vote

0:00Democrats in Connecticut just re-wrote their key homeschooling bill, House Bill 54-68, to boost its chances in the House. The big change drops the need for families to send yearly proof of instruction to the state. Parents still got to notify schools in person when pulling kids out and pass a one-time check against the abuse and neglect registry. Rep Jennifer Leeper from Fairfield is driving this push, saying the tweaks fix worries about overhauling things too quick. They also cut out parts letting homeschooled kids join public school classes or extracurriculars up to twice a year. Home school parents and advocates hit back hard, packing hearings and flooding testimony online. A child advocate report flagged 23 percent of sampled homeschooled kids from homes with abuse records, sparking the push after two recent. Child deaths, Republicans and some Democrats voted no in committees. The bill squeaked through education and appropriations committees, but faces a tepid vibe. This rewrite is just a proposed amendment now, waiting for the House to call it up for

1:03a vote. With the session wrapping May 6th, time's short, if it clears House and Senate, it could finally plug gaps, letting abuse hide behind homeschooling. Though opponents say even this intrudes too much, that's your Hartford News Today update, AI powered and always on.