Governor splits on bills aiming to reduce truancy

Gov. Jerry Brown has issued a split decision on a package of bills designed to help reduce California’s dropout rate.

The governor announced Tuesday that he signed two bills sought by Attorney General Kamala Harris, a fellow Democrat, while vetoing two others.

He signed AB2141, which requires prosecutors to report back to school officials whenever they are asked to charge parents whose children miss too much school. He also approved AB1643, adding law enforcement representatives to local School Attendance Review Boards.

He vetoed AB1866 and AB1672, which would have required the state Department of Education and the local boards to collect truancy and absenteeism information.

Brown said collecting more data “would not get to the root of the issue – keeping kids in school.”

Harris did not immediately comment.