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Session of 1999
          HOUSE BILL No. 2304           By Representatives Benlon, Bethell, Campbell, Crow, Glasscock, Huff,           Jenkins and Stone           2-5          

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10             AN  ACT concerning accredited high schools and students thereof; re-
11             quiring a community service class for graduation.
12      
13       Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Kansas:
14             Section  1. (a) The state board of education shall provide for a com-
15       munity service class to be given in all accredited high schools in this state,
16       and no student who has not taken and satisfactorily completed the
17       requirements of such class shall be certified as having completed the
18       requirements necessary for graduation from high school.
19             (b) The state board of education shall prescribe the school year in
20       which the requirements of subsection (a) shall be effectuated, establish
21       criteria for the selection of community services to be performed by stu-
22       dents, and prescribe the requirements for satisfactory completion of a
23       community service class and for the counting of not less than 1/2 unit of
24       credit for the class toward satisfaction of the requirements necessary for
25       graduation from high school. The state board of education may provide
26       for such waivers from the requirements of this section as the state board
27       deems appropriate.
28             (c) As used in this section, the term "community service" means a
29       service performed by a high school student, without monetary compen-
30       sation or remuneration, for the purpose of benefiting the student's com-
31       munity. The service performed may include, but not by way of limitation,
32       mentoring or tutoring elementary school pupils, assisting in a nursing
33       home or adult care center, providing lawn care or performing other tasks
34       for senior citizens or disabled persons, assisting in a homeless shelter or
35       a soup kitchen, organizing or assisting in fund raisers for disaster victims
36       and other needy persons, assisting community-based nonprofit agencies
37       that provide programs and services for low-income people, the disabled
38       and the elderly, assisting fraternal organizations in charitable activities.
39        Sec.  2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its
40       publication in the statute book.