Sec. 1. 20-A MRSA §6001-A, as enacted by PL 1997, c. 415, §4, is amended to read:

§6001-A. Parental access to information on school activities

1. Parental notification. Upon written request by a parent, a school administrative unit may provide written notification of all school activities and programs for which parental participation, involvement, notification or awareness is in the best interest of the student. A noncustodial parent may have access to information on school activities and programs upon written request and with the mutual agreement of the custodial parent and the school administrative unit must be provided with written notification of all school activities and programs after a copy of a court order awarding parental rights and responsibilities that includes a statement that the noncustodial parent must have access to records and information pertaining to the noncustodial parent's minor child's school records and other information on school activities, in accordance with Title 19-A, section 1653, subsection 2, paragraph D, subparagraph (4), has been submitted to and approved by the superintendent or the superintendent's designee in the school administrative unit where the noncustodial parent's minor child is enrolled.

2. Exemption. This section does not apply to a parent denied parental rights and responsibilities in a court order.

3.__Exception.__Upon written request by a custodial parent stating the reasons why written notification of all school activities and programs is not in the best interests of the child, the superintendent or the superintendent's designee in the school administrative unit where the child is enrolled may deny written notification of all school activities and programs to a noncustodial parent who has submitted a request for notification under this section.

SUMMARY

Current law provides that, upon written request and with the agreement of both the custodial parent and the school administrative unit, a school may provide written notification of all school activities and programs for which parental participation, involvement, notification or awareness is in the best interest of the student. This bill proposes to implement one of the recommendations of the Commission on Fatherhood Issues related to the notification provided to a noncustodial parent