Truancy law causes suspension

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By Haley King

Turning in the DMV 130 form on Jan. 9 to Ms. Rojas in the attendance office, Nick Trejo, senior, takes the required steps to keep his license. (Photo by Lauren Smith)
Turning in the DMV 130 form on Jan. 9 to Ms. Rojas in the attendance office, Nick Trejo, senior, takes the required steps to keep his license. (Photo Illustration by Lauren Smith)

A new law in Nevada called Senate Bill 269 was enacted on January 1, stating that students with ten unexcused absences will temporarily lose their drivers licenses. The law does not only affect students with licenses, but also those who are preparing to get their license.

On the first offense, students will lose their license for 30 days. Students with a second offense will have their license suspended for 60 days. If there is a third offense, licenses will be taken away for a year, and students will be required to restart the process of getting a license. Each time the license is suspended, students will be charged with truancy and be required to pay a fine.

“If you’ve already gotten your license and you have three unexcused full day absences, the DMV could take your license away for thirty days,” Mrs. McGuan, the Government Honors teacher, said. “There will be fines because you’re going to get a truancy citation. You will have to go to court and pay a fine.”

Students who have yet to receive a drivers license and have too many unexcused absences will not be able to obtain a license. They will be required to print a form from the DMV website and have the school sign off, approving that the student is allowed to have a drivers license. Only then is a student without a license able to receive a license.

“If you are under 18, and you want to apply for a permit or you’ve already got your permit and you want to apply, you need to fill out the DMV 130, a new form, and you need to be in school at least 90% of days for that semester,” McGuan said.

SB 269 is intended to cut down truancy and the state’s motto for this law is “Ditch School, Ditch your license.” Clark County School District wants to ensure the success of “every student in every classroom.”

Some students feel that this new law will benefit students in the long run. “The new law will help improve attendance in the classrooms. Also, [students] won’t drop out and they will focus and study more,” Justin Marks, senior, said.

Whether or not students have a job or participate in other extracurricular activities, the state legislators want to ensure that teenagers still focus on school.

“Stay in school. School is your job,” McGuan said.