school attendance requirements; religious purposes

Plain English Breakdown

The official summary mentions both 'exercises or instruction,' but the specific bill text amendment mandates excuses for 'religious instruction.' The distinction between mandatory and optional allowances is critical.

HB2266: School Attendance Rules for Religious Reasons

This law requires Arizona school districts and charter schools to adopt a policy that allows students to be excused from attendance for religious instruction.

What This Bill Does

• Requires every school district governing board and charter school governing body to adopt a policy allowing student excuses for religious purposes.
• Mandates that the new policy must allow, rather than just may allow, students to be excused specifically for religious instruction.
• Sets rules stating parents or guardians with custody must give written consent before a student is excused.
• Requires that any religious activity happen at a suitable location away from school property designated by the church or group.

Who It Names or Affects

• School district governing boards in Arizona
• Charter school governing bodies in Arizona
• Students who participate in religious instruction outside of school

Terms To Know

Governing board

The group that makes rules and decisions for a public school district.

Charter school governing body

The leadership team responsible for running an independent charter school.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill does not specify how many days a student can be excused per year.
• The text does not define what counts as a 'suitable place' beyond the requirement that it is away from school property and designated by the religious group.
• The effective date for when this law starts is not listed in the provided source material.

Official Summary Text

HB2266 - 572R - House Bill Summary

ARIZONA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

57th
Legislature, 2nd Regular Session

Majority Research Staff

House:
ED DP 7-5-0-0

HB
2266
: school attendance requirements; religious purposes

Sponsor:
Representative Marshall, LD 7

House
Engrossed

Overview

Stipulates
a school district governing board (governing board) or charter school governing
body (governing body) policy must allow students to be excused for religious
purposes.

History

Each governing board and governing body must adopt a policy
regarding the excuse of students for religious purposes. Currently, the
governing board or governing body policy
may allow
a student to be
excused from school attendance for religious purposes, including participation
in religious exercises or instruction. If the policy allows a student to be
excused for religious purposes, the policy must detail the conditions for the
excuse to be granted to the student, including the requirements that the: 1)
person with custody of the student give written consent; and 2) religious
instruction or exercise take place at a suitable place away from school
property designated by the church or religious denomination or group (
A.R.S. � 15-806
).

Provisions

1.

Requires
each governing board and governing body to adopt a policy that must, rather
than may, allow students to be excused from school attendance for religious
instruction.

2.

Makes
technical changes.

3.

4.

5.

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FOOTER ---------

6.

Initials CH���������������������� HB
2266

7.

2/24/2026� Page 0 House
Engrossed

8.

9.

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FOOTER ---------

Current Bill Text

HB2266 - 572R - H Ver

House Engrossed

school attendance
requirements; religious purposes

State of Arizona

House of Representatives

Fifty-seventh Legislature

Second Regular Session

2026

HOUSE BILL 2266

AN
ACT

amending section 15-806, Arizona
Revised Statutes; relating to school attendance requirements.

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:

Section 1. Section 15-806, Arizona Revised
Statutes, is amended to read:

START_STATUTE
15-806.

Policies; excuse from school attendance

A. The governing board of each school district and
the governing body of each charter school shall adopt a policy
governing
the excuse of pupils for religious purposes.� The policy may permit a pupil

that allows students
to be excused from school attendance
for religious purposes, including participation in religious exercises or
religious instruction.�
If the policy permits a pupil to be
excused for religious purposes,
The policy
shall

must
stipulate the conditions under which the excuse will be
granted
,
. These conditions
shall include
including
at least the following
conditions
:

1. The person who has custody of the
pupil
student
has given written consent.

2. Any religious instruction or exercise takes place
at a suitable place away from school property designated by the church or religious
denomination or group.

B. The governing board of each school district and
the governing body of each charter school shall adopt a policy governing the
excuse of
pupils
students
from
school attendance. The policy
shall

must
require the school district to apply to the department of
education for authorization of school closure for the following reasons:

1. Widespread illness for any period of three
consecutive days or more.

2. Adverse weather conditions for any period of
three consecutive days or more.

3. Concerted refusal by students to attend classes
for any period of three consecutive days or more.

4. Threats of violence against school property,
school personnel or
pupils
students

for any period of one day or more.

5. Situations affecting the safety of persons or
property resulting from fire, flooding or floodwater, an earthquake, a
hazardous material event or another cause if approved by the department of
education.
END_STATUTE